SNICS Ion Source

Larry Lamm,
Research Professor,
Technical Director

March, 2009

Nuclear Science Laboratory

 MC-SNICS Ion Source
• Multi-
• Cathode
• Source of
• Negative
• Ions by
• Cesium
• Sputtering
 Old SNICS Ion Source
• 1989 – 2008 SNICS II
manufactured by National
Electrostatics Corp.
(NEC).
• Primary ion source for the
FN Tandem accelerator,
producing all the ion
beams for injection into
the FN Tandem other than
helium beams.
Old SNICS Ion Source
• Extremely reliable
• Often days of stable,
continuous beam
production from a
single cathode
• Changing cathodes
can be time consuming
• Not suitable for AMS
program (Atomic
Mass Spectroscopy)
MC-SNICS
• Installed in 2008 to
anticipate the needs of
the AMS program
• Same principles of
operation as the SNICS
II source
• Designed to allow users
to easily choose from up
to 40 different cathodes
MC-SNICS
• Source shown here in
open position, suitable
for loading a new
cathode wheel
• Well designed
• Our experiences have
been very good
 How does SNICS work?
• A reservoir of cesium
metal is heated to
approximately 120 °C, so
that cesium vapor is
formed.
• This vapor rises from the
reservoir in vacuum to an
enclosed region between
the cathode, which is
cooled, and the ionizer,
which is heated.
 How does SNICS work?
• Some cesium condenses
onto the cool surface of
the cathode, while some
comes in contact with the
hot surface of the ionizer
and is immediately
"boiled away".
• These positively charged
cesium ions leaving the
ionizer are accelerated
toward and focused onto
the cathode, sputtering
material from the cathode
at impact.
 SNICS Ion Source
• Some of the sputtered
material gains
electrons in passing
through the cesium
coating on the surface
of the cathode, and
forms the negatively
charged beam.
 SNICS Ion Source
• Since the entire source
is operated at
approximately 80 kV
below ground, this
negative beam is
accelerated out of the
source and is available
for injection into the
FN Tandem
accelerator.
Schematic MC-SNICS
MC-SNICS
• Here you can see the
circular disk that
contains the cathodes
• Standard versions – 20
element disks and 40
element disks.
• 20 element disk, larger
cathodes, general
purpose usage
MC-SNICS

• 40 element disk suitable

for AMS work
• Very small cathodes
• We have not tried this
yet.
MC-SNICS
 MC-SNICS

• Our installation
• Required very minor
changes to old facility
• Re-used many of the
existing power supplies,
etc.
 MC-SNICS

• 40 element cathode disk

• Never used
• 20 element disk (not
shown) is similar, but
holds much larger
cathodes
• Easier to load material
and easier to use
 MC-SNICS

• 20 element disk
• It’s rough in there!
• Cathodes can be loaded
with a variety of
powders, packed to fill
the cavity in the cathode
blank.
 MC-SNICS Ion Source

20 – 30 mA
• Partial list of some of 1H TiH + Al
2H 10 – 25 mA TiD + Al
the beams recently
6Li 5 mA 6Li O + Ag
produced by our MC- 2

7Li 5 mA Li2O + Ag
SNICS source. 10B 20 mA 10B + Ag
• Often make more beam 12C 25 mA graphite + Cu
than we can use,
sometimes limited by 13C 20 mA 13C enriched
graphite + Ag
amount FN Tandem can
accept. 16O 40 mA SiO2 + Al
40Ca 2 mA CaH + Ag
 MC-SNICS Ion Source
Computer Control
• The Nuclear Science Laboratory has established
computer-based systems to allow for monitoring and
control of many of the active systems within the
laboratory.
• This work is continuing, taking care to continue to
provide a "hands-on" experience for our students
while at the same time upgrading our control and
monitoring systems.
• Complete remote computer control of the MC-SNICS
Sputter Ion Source has been established.
 MC-SNICS Ion Source
Computer Control
• Originally, the SNICS II Sputter Ion Source was operated
manually, using insulating rods connected to the control dials
of the various power supplies, so that the source could be
safely adjusted by an operator at ground potential while the
source was at 80 kV below ground. We can still operated in
this manner, if desired, but we now almost always operate by
remote computer control.
• Our control system to allow for remote control operations of
the MC-SNICS source is known as Group3 with ControlNet, a
fibre optically linked control system using distributed I/O
modules, available from GMW Associates, Inc.
 SNICS Ion Source
Computer Control
• Our control system to
allow for remote control
operations of the MC-
SNICS source is known
as Group3 with
ControlNet, a fibre
optically linked control
system using distributed
I/O modules, available
from GMW Associates,
Inc.
 MC-SNICS Ion Source
Computer Control

• Shown here an older

front panel image of the
LabVIEW program
being used to control the
MC-SNICS Ion Source.
• You’ll see how to use
this software later in the
school.