Ion source with a high mass, particularly uranium dioxide ions

According to the invention, the ion source makes it possible to obtain ion beams with a high mass and relatively high current density of around several mA/cm2, particularly ions of uranium oxide UO2. The source of primary ions gives argon ions generated by high frequency heating. A charge exchange box fed from this source of primary ions delivers an atomic or molecular jet of the elements, at the outlet, corresponding to the at least partial neutralisation of the primary ions. A target intercepting the molecular output jet of the charge exchange box contains the compound from which it is desired to generate the high mass ion beam. Last, an electrode near the target is brought to a positive potential. The decisive advantage is the use of a neutral or at least partially neutralised molecular (or atomic) jet. This suppressed the space charge phenomenon