Plasma ignition schemes for the SNS radio-frequency driven H- source

Conference · Thu Sep 06 04:00:00 EDT 2001

OSTI ID:788039

Schenkel, T ^[1]; Staples, J W; Thomae, W; Reijonen, J; Gough, R A; Leung, K N; Keller, R

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1. LBNL Library

The H{sup -} ion source for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is a cesiated, radio-frequency driven (2 MHz) multicusp volume source which operates at a duty cycle of 6% (1 ms pulses and 60 Hz). In pulsed RF driven plasma sources, ignition of the plasma affects the stability of source operation and the antenna lifetime. We are reporting on investigations of different ignition schemes, based on secondary electron generation in the plasma chamber by UV light, a hot filament, a low power RF plasma (cw, 13.56 MHz), as well as source operation solely with the high power (40 kW) 2 MHz RF. We find that the dual frequency, single antenna scheme is most attractive for the operating conditions of the SNS H{sup -} source.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Director, Office of Science (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 788039
• Report Number(s): LBNL--47775
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ANTENNAS
HYDROGEN IONS
IGNITION
ION SOURCES
NEUTRON SOURCES
PLASMA
RF SYSTEMS
SPALLATION