Ion Sources

The 88-Inch Cyclotron is fed by three Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) high-charge-state ion sources: the ECR, the AECR, and the superconducting VENUS, currently one of the most powerful ECR ion sources in the world. Built to answer the demand for intense heavy ion beams, these high-performance ion sources enable the 88-Inch Cyclotron to accelerate beams of ions ranging from hydrogen to uranium.

ECR ion sources microwave electrons off of atoms in the ion source’s plasma chamber, producing positively charged ions. These ions are kept contained in the ion source’s magnetic field, allowing high-energy electrons to strip additional electrons from the ions. The ions are eventually fed into the 88-Inch Cyclotron for acceleration.

The ECR ion sources allow the efficient use of rare isotopes of stable elements, either from natural or enriched sources. A variety of metallic ion beams are routinely produced in our low temperature oven (up to 600 degrees Celsius) and our high-temperature oven (up to 2100 degrees Celsius). Furthermore, the ability to produce "cocktails" (mixtures of beams) for the Berkeley Accelerator Space Effects (BASE) Facility adds tremendously to the flexibility of the 88-Inch Cyclotron.

The next-generation ion source, known as MARS, is currently in development. By combining cutting-edge metal materials with an innovative, new magnetic winding design, MARS will improve both the beam intensity and the available ion charge states, offering significantly better performance for researchers.

ECR Group Publications

    • J. Benitez, A. Donoghue, M. Johnson, W. Lu, B. Ninemire, L. Phair, D. Todd, and D. Xie. Recent Cocktail beam Developments at the LBNL 88-Inch Cyclotron for SEE Testing. IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference Data Workshop Record (2017).
    • J. Benitez, K.Y. Franzen, A. Hodgkinson, C.M. Lyneis, M. Strohmeier, T. Thullier, D. Todd, and D. Xie. Production of high intensity 48Ca for the 88-Inch Cyclotron and other updates. Review of Scientific Instruments, 85, 02A961 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4854896
    • J. Benitez, K. Y. Franzen, C. Lyneis, G. Machicoane , L. Phair, M. Strohmeier, L.T. Sun. Current Developments of the VENUS Ion Source in Research and Operations. Proceedings of the 20th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS12), Sydney, Australia, 2012.
    • C. Lyneis, J. Benitez, M. Strohmeier, D. Todd. Coupling Microwave Power into ECR Ion Source Plasmas at Frequencies above 20GHz. Proceedings of the 20th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS12), Sydney, Australia, 2012.
    • J. Y. Benitez, A. Hodgkinson, M. Johnson, T. Loew, C. Lyneis, and L. Phair. Development of Ion Beams for Space Effects Testing Using an ECR Ion Source. Proceedings of 22nd International Conference on the Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry (CAARI12), Forth Worth, Texas (2012).
    • J. Y. Benitez, et. al. Recent Progress on the Superconducting Ion Source VENUS. Review of Scientific Instruments, 83, 02A311 (2012).
    • D. Winklehner, J. Y. Benitez, et. al. Progress Towards the Development of a Realistic Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source Extraction Model. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 02B706 (2012).- i share
    • J . Noland, O. Tarvainen, J Benitez, D Leitner, C. Lyneis, and J Verboncoeur. Studies of Electron Heating on a 6.4GHz ECR Ion Source Through Measurement of Diamagnetic current and plasma Bremsstrahlung. Plasma Source Sci. Technol. 20 035022 (2011).
    • M. Kireef-Covo, J.Y. Benitez, A. Ratti, and J. L. Vujic. Integrating a Traveling-Wave Tube into an AECR-U Ion Source. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science 39 no 6 (2011).
    • C. Lyneis, J.Y. Benitez, et. al. Characterization of the Microwave Coupling to the Plasma Chamber of the LBL ECR Ion Source. Proceedings of the 19th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS10), Grenoble, France, 2010.
    • J. Noland, J. Benitez, M. Kireeff-Covo, D. Leitner, C. Lyneis, J. Verboncoeur, O. Tarvainen. Measurement of the Diamagnetic Current on the LBNL 6.4GHz ECR Ion Source. Proceedings of the 19th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS10), Grenoble, France, 2010.
    • D. Winklehner, D. Todd, D. Grote, D. Leitner, J. Benitez, M. Strohmeier. Plasma-to-Target Warp Simulations of Uranium Beams Extracted from VENUS Compared to Emittance Measurements and Beam Images. Proceedings of the 19th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS10), Grenoble, France, 2010.
    • D. Winklehner, D. Todd, J. Benitez, M. Strohmeier, D Grote, D. Leitner. Comparison of Extraction and Beam Transport Simulations with Emitttance Measurements from the ECR Ion Source VENUS. Journal of Instrumentation 5 P12001 (2010).
    • M. Strohmeier, J. Y. Benitez, D. Leitner, C. M. Lyneis, D. S. Todd, and M. Bantel. Development of a pepper-pot device to determine the emittance of an ion beam generated by electron cyclotron resonance ion sources. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 81, 02B710 (2010).
    • J. Noland, J. Y. Benitez, D. Leitner, C. Lyneis, and J. Verboncoeur. Measurement of radial and axial high energy x-ray spectra in electron cyclotron resonance ion source plasmas. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 81, 02A308 (2010).
    • J. Y. Benitez, J. Noland, D. Leitner, C. Lyneis, D. S. Todd, and J. Verboncoeur. High Energy Component of X-Ray Spectra in ECR Ion Sources. Proceedings of the 18th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS 2008), Illinois, 2008.
    • D. Leitner, J.Y. Benitez, D.R. Dietderich, M. Leitner, T.J. Loew, C.M. Lyneis, S. Prestemon, G. Sabbi, D.S. Todd, X. Wang. Status Report and Recent Developments with VENUS. Proceedings of the 18th International Workshop on ECR Ion Sources (ECRIS 2008), Chicago, Illinois, 2008.
    • D. Leitner, J. Y. Benitez, C. M. Lyneis, D. S. Todd, T. Ropponen, J. Ropponen, H. Koivisto, and S. Gammino. Measurement of the High Energy Component of the X-Ray Spectra in the VENUS ECR Ion Source. Review of Scientific Instruments, 79, 033302 (2008).
    • J.Y. Benitez. Analysis of X-Ray Spectra Emitted from the VENUS ECR Ion Source. Department of Energy Journal of Undergraduate Research, v. 08 (2008).
    • D.Leitner, J.Y. Benitez, M. L. Galloway, T. J. Loew, C. M. Lyneis, D.S. Todd. Progress and Perspective for High Frequency, High Performance Superconducting Ion Sources. Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Cyclotrons and Their Applications (CYCLOTRONS 2007), Italy, 2007.