Physical processes in ECR plasma: development of high charge state ion sources for atomic and nuclear physics research

The development of ECR Ion Sources is a major preoccupation in many research laboratories. A better understanding of the physical processes occurring in the ECR plasma would allow obtaining high charge state ion beams with higher performances. A way to achieve high charge ion production is to enrich the electron population of the ECR plasma. A 14.5 GHz ECR Ion Source of intense and high charge state ion beams is under development in our Department. Structures with promising parameters were realized by developing technologies of obtaining special electron emissive surfaces for improved negative ion sources. Preliminary tests of this ECR Ion Source were performed at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the J.W.Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany and a program for co-operation concerning the ECR plasma physical processes was elaborated