Commissioning of high current H/D ion beams for the prototype accelerator of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility.

The Linear IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) is aiming at demonstrating the low energy section of a 40 MeV/125 mA IFMIF deuteron accelerator up to 9 MeV with a full beam current in cw operation. For such a high-power beam, the LIPAc injector is required to produce a 100 keV D beam with 140 mA and match it for injection into the Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator. The injector is designed by CEA-Saclay based on the high intensity light ion source (SILHI).

Preliminary results of BETSI test bench upgrade at CEA-Saclay.

The Banc d'Etude et de Tests des Sources d'Ions (BETSI) test bench was built in 2009 for the Spiral2 project. Year after year, upgrades were done on the low energy beam line in order to have a complete injector equipped with 2 solenoids and vacuum chambers with multiple viewports for various kinds of beam-diagnostics. BETSI was designed for a 50 kV high voltage, and all the sources that were installed on the platform were also designed for that voltage.

Calibration of the low-energy channel Thomson parabola of the LMJ-PETAL diagnostic SEPAGE with protons and carbon ions.

The SEPAGE diagnostic will detect charged particles (electrons, protons, and ions) accelerated in the interaction of the PETAL (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser) laser with its targets on the LMJ (Laser MegaJoule)-PETAL laser facility. SEPAGE will be equipped with a proton-radiography front detector and two Thomson parabolas (TP), corresponding to different ranges of the particle energy spectra: Above 0.1 MeV for electrons and protons in the low-energy channel, with a separation capability between protons and C up to 20 MeV proton energy and above 8 MeV for the high-energy channel, with a separation capability between protons and C up to 200 MeV proton kinetic energy.

Operation and commissioning of IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) LIPAc injector.

The objective of linear IFMIF prototype accelerator is to demonstrate 125 mA/CW deuterium ion beam acceleration up to 9 MeV. The injector has been developed in CEA Saclay and already demonstrated 140 mA/100 keV deuterium beam [R. Gobin et al.

Installation and first operation of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility injector at the Rokkasho site.

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) linear IFMIF prototype accelerator injector dedicated to high intensity deuteron beam production has been designed, built, and tested at CEA/Saclay between 2008 and 2012. After the completion of the acceptance tests at Saclay, the injector has been fully sent to Japan. The re-assembly of the injector has been performed between March and May 2014.

Improvement of extraction system geometry with suppression of possible Penning discharge ignition.

During the past two years, a new ECR 2.45 GHz type ion source has been developed especially dedicated to intense light ion injector project like IPHI (Injecteur Proton Haute Intensité), IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility), to reduce beam emittance at RFQ entrance by shortening the length of the LEBT. This new ALISES concept (Advanced Light Ion Source Extraction System) is based on the use of an additional LEBT short length solenoid very close to the extraction aperture.

International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility injector acceptance tests at CEA/Saclay: 140 mA/100 keV deuteron beam characterization.

In the framework of the ITER broader approach, the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) deuteron accelerator (2 × 125 mA at 40 MeV) is an irradiation tool dedicated to high neutron flux production for future nuclear plant material studies. During the validation phase, the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) machine will be tested on the Rokkasho site in Japan. This demonstrator aims to produce 125 mA/9 MeV deuteron beam.

Effective shielding to measure beam current from an ion source.

To avoid saturation, beam current transformers must be shielded from solenoid, quad, and RFQ high stray fields. Good understanding of field distribution, shielding materials, and techniques is required. Space availability imposes compact shields along the beam pipe.

Plasma studies on electron cyclotron resonance light ion source at CEA∕Saclay.

By the 90s, the CEA has undertaken to develop the production of intense light ion beams from unconfined ECR plasma. Today, three sources for IPHI, SPIRAL2, and IFMIF projects (respectively, 100 mA of H(+), 8 mA of D(+), and 140 mA of D(+)) are installed at CEA∕Saclay. In order to improve performances and decrease dimensions of these sources, it is necessary to better understand the mechanisms involved in the production and extraction of particles.

Preliminary results of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility deuteron injector.

In the framework of the IFMIF-EVEDA project (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities), CEA∕IRFU is in charge of the design, construction, and characterization of the 140 mA continuous deuteron injector, including the source and the low energy beam line. The electron cyclotron resonance ion source which operates at 2.45 GHz is associated with a 4-electrode extraction system in order to minimize beam divergence at the source exit.

Light ion source for proton∕deuteron production at CEA Saclay for the Spiral2 project.

The production of rare radioactive ion beam (RIB) far from the valley of stability is one of the final purposes of the Spiral2 facility in Caen. The RIB will be produced by impinging a deuteron beam onto a carbon sample to produce a high neutron flux, which will interact with a uranium target. The primary deuteron beam is produced by an ion source based on ECR plasma generation.

Advanced light ion source extraction system for a new electron cyclotron resonance ion source geometry at Saclay.

One of the main goal of intense light ion injector projects such as IPHI, IFMIF, or SPIRAL2, is to produce high current beams while keeping transverse emittance as low as possible. To prevent emittance growth induced in a dual solenoid low energy transfer line, its length has to be minimized. This can be performed with the advanced light ion source extraction system concept that we are developing: a new ECR 2.

Electron cyclotron resonance 140 mA D(+) beam extraction optimization for IFMIF EVEDA accelerator.

Based on the experience of the SILHI electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source for the IPHI accelerator, which produces routinely 100-120 mA H(+) beam, the CEA-Saclay is in charge of the design and realization of the 140 mA cw deuteron source for the IFMIF project (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility). IFMIF is an accelerator-based neutron irradiation facility consisting of two accelerators of 125 mA D(+) beam at 40 MeV that hit in parallel a lithium target. IFMIF utilizes the deuteron-lithium (d-Li) neutron, producing a reaction to simulate the 14 MeV neutron environment in deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactors.

BETSI, a new test bench for ion sources optimization at CEA SACLAY.

In the framework of several International HPPA projects (such as IFMIF, IPHI, and Spiral2) the CEA handles the design and the developments of several electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources. For the IFMIF EVEDA demonstrator, a 140 mA cw extracted deuteron beam will be required for high yield of neutron production. For radioactive ion production in the Spiral2 project, several milliamperes of deuterons will be delivered with a permanent magnet source.

A 140 mA cw deuteron electron cyclotron resonance source for the IFMIF-EVEDA project.

In the framework of the IFMIF-EVEDA phase (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities), the CEA-Saclay is in charged of the design and realization of the 140 mA cw deuteron source. The IFMIF EVEDA demonstrator will be installed in Japan in the next six years and will have to accelerate the deuteron beam up to 9 MeV. CEA will build the source and the low energy beam line (LEBT) and will test the cw high intensity deuteron production at Saclay.