Examination of the plasma located in PSI Ring Cyclotron

A plasma has been observed inside the vacuum chamber of the PSI Ring Cyclotron. This ionized gas cloud may be a substantial contributor to several interior components having reduced lifetimes. The plasma׳s generation has been directly linked to the voltage that is applied to the Flat Top cavity through visual confirmation using CCD cameras. A spectrometer was used to correlate the plasma׳s intensity and ignition to the Flat Top cavity voltage as well as to determine the composition of the plasma. This paper reports on the analysis of the plasma using spectroscopy. The spectrometer data was analyzed to determine the composition of the plasma and that the plasma intensity (luminosity) directly corresponds to the Flat Top voltage. The results show that the plasma is comprised of elements consistent with the cyclotrons vacuum interior.