High intensity ion beam injection into the 88-inch cyclotron

Low cross section experiments to produce super-heavyelements have increased the demand for high intensity heavy ion beams atenergies of about 5 MeV/nucleon at the 88-Inch Cyclotron at the LawrenceBerkeley National Laboratory. Therefore, efforts are underway to increasethe overall ion beam transmission through the axial injection line andthe cyclotron. The ion beam emittance has been measured for various ionmasses and charge states. Beam transport simulations including spacecharge effects were performed for both of the injection line and the ionsource extraction. The relatively low nominal injection voltage of 10 kVwas found to be the main factor for ion beam losses, because of beam blowup due to space charge forces at higher intensities. Consequently,experiments and simulations have been performed at higherinjectionenergies, and it was demonstrated that the ion beams could still becentered in the cyclotron at these energies. Therefore, the new injectorion source VENUS and its ion beam transport system (currently underconstruction at the 88-Inch Cyclotron) are designed for extractionvoltages up to 30 kV.