MISTIC: Radiation hard ECRIS

The ISAC RIB facility at TRIUMF utilizes up to 100 μA from the 500 MeV H− cyclotron to produce RIB using the isotopic separation on line (ISOL) method. In the moment, we are mainly using a hot surface ion source and a laser ion source to produce our RIB. A FEBIAD ion source has been recently tested at ISAC, but these ion sources are not suitable for gaseous elements like N, O, F, Ne, … , A new type of ion source is then necessary.By combining a high frequency electromagnetic wave and a magnetic confinement, the ECRIS [R. Geller, Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source and ECR Plasmas, Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol, 1996], [1] (electron cyclotron resonance ion source) can produce high energy electrons essential for efficient ionization of those elements. To this end, a prototype ECRIS called MISTIC (monocharged ion source for TRIUMF and ISAC complex) has been built at TRIUMF using a design similar to the one developed at GANIL [GANIL (Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds), www.ganil.fr], [2] The high level radiation caused by the proximity to the target prevented us to use a conventional ECRIS. To achieve a radiation hard ion source, we used coils instead of permanent magnets to produce the magnetic confinement. Each coil is supplied by 1000 A–15 V power supply. The RF generator cover a frequency range from 2 to 8 GHz giving us all the versatility we need to characterize the ionization of the following elements: He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, C, O, N, F. Isotopes of these elements are involved in star thermonuclear cycles and, consequently, very important for researches in nuclear astrophysics. Measures of efficiency, emittance and ionization time will be performed for each of those elements. Preliminary tests show that MISTIC is very stable over a large range of frequency, magnetic field and pressure.