Comprehensive Ionization Model Development for the FEBIAD Ion Source and Its Application for TRIUMF’s Radioactive Ion Beam Program
Date
2022-07-28
Authors
Maldonado Millan, Fernando Alejandro
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Abstract
Radioactive isotopes enable advanced medical treatments and the study of nuclear
structure, nuclear astrophysics, and fundamental symmetries. TRIUMF, Canada’s
Particle Accelerator Centre, generates radioactive isotope beams using the Isotope
Separation On-Line method. At TRIUMF, the Forced Electron Beam Induced Arc
Discharge (FEBIAD) ion source is used to ionize specific isotopes but often presents
limited performance and lower efficiencies compared to other facilities. To investigate
the source limitation, elucidate the ionization mechanism, and propose improved and
highly efficient sources for upcoming facilities, a combined numerical and experimental
campaign has been undertaken. The developed numerical ionization model is able to
describe the source as an electron impact ion source that is governed by strong space
charge effects. The spatially distributed ionization rate is higher at specific locations
of the anode volume, and this has been confirmed experimentally. The validated
numerical model has been further used to propose simulation-based optimizations.
With the overall optimization, the ionization efficiency for the TRIUMF FEBIAD is
expected to increase ten-fold.
Description
Keywords
RIB, COMSOL, ISOL, FEBIAD, TRIUMF, ISAC, ARIEL