Utilization of the EBIS with RFQ linacs

The radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) is a new linear accelerator structure in which rf electric fields are used to simultaneously focus, bunch, and accelerate an ion beam. Since the RFQ can provide strong focusing and adiabatic bunching at low velocities, it can capture almost all of the ions extracted from an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) at a low voltage and accelerate them to an energy of 1 to 2 MeV/nucleon in a distance of only a few meters. A successful test at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has confirmed the calculated performance of this structure and has stimulated interest in its use with the EBIS for a variety of applications. The general properties of the RFQ are reviewed, and the utilization of the EBIS with this structure is discussed. Several design examples of this combination are also presented