High Current Proton and Deuteron Beams for Accelerators and Neutron Generators

Abstract

This paper presents the latest results of high current proton and deuteron beam production at SMIS 37 facility at the Institute of Applied Physics (IAP RAS). In this experimental setup the plasma is created and the electrons are heated by 37.5 GHz gyrotron radiation with power up to 100 kW in a simple mirror trap fulfilling the ECR condition. High microwave power and frequency allow sustaining higher density hydrogen plasma (ne up to 2·1013 cm-3) in comparison to conventional ECRIS’s or microwave sources. The low ion temperature, on the order of a few eV, is beneficial to produce proton beams with low emittance. Latest experiments at SMIS 37 were performed using a single-aperture two-electrode extraction system. Experiments with hydrogen and deuterium show possibility of beams formation with currents up to 550 mA at high voltages below 45 kV with normalized rms emittance lower than 0.2 π‧mm‧mrad. Such beams have a high potential for application in future accelerator research. Also in frames of the present paper it is suggested to use such an ion source in a scheme of D-D neutron generator. High current gas-dynamic ion source can produce deuteron ion beams with current density up to 700-800 mA/cm2 . Generation of the neutron flux with density at the level of 7-8·1010 s-1cm-2 could be obtained in case of TiD2 target bombardment with deuteron beam accelerated to 100 keV. Estimations show that it is enough for formation of epithermal neutron flux with density higher than 109 s-1cm-2 suitable for boron neutron capture therapy. Important advantage of described approach is absence of Tritium in the scheme.