Cs feed tests and emittance measurements on a modified MC-SNICS ion source for radiocarbon AMS

Abstract

We report on 2 recent developments in an ongoing program of characterizing and improving the National Electrostatics Corp. (NEC) MC-SNICS ion source at University of California (UC) Irvine's Keck AMS laboratory. First, we have investigated the possibility of modifying a large-body (134-sample) MC-SNICS to incorporate the UC Irvine Cs oven and vacuum-insulated Cs feed tube, which provide better confinement of Cs than the standard NEC setup. In our 40-sample source, the feed tube enters the source housing directly below the ionizer assembly. This area cannot be accessed for machining on the 134-sample source, but we have successfully tested a modified geometry where the delivery tube enters the body via the source end flange. Second, we recently installed a second beam profile monitor in the injection line of our spectrometer to allow us to make online emittance measurements. At full output (150 μA of C-at 55 keV), the emittance of our source at 8 kV sputtering voltage is approximately 40π mm mrad. © 2007 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona.