Control system for RF-driven negative ion source experimental setup at HUST

•The CompactRIO system is reliable and could achieve high-speed data collection.•The queue and event software structure allows the control code to be flexible.•TCP/IP performs better than shared variable method for mass data transmission.•The method for lowering the peak RF reflected power has been discussed and given. An experimental setup of RF-driven negative ion source has been built at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). The control system for this setup is responsible for RF loading, gas feeding, filament heating, filament DC bias, data collection and Langmuir probe triggering during plasma production. To research influences on the plasma ignition of gas puff and RF power loading, the control system should be of flexible operating sequence, high-speed data collection and reliable data transmission. The general control unit (GCU) adopts a CompactRIO system, which performs high-speed data collection for gas pressure and RF power. The host control program adopts a queue and event structure for flexible operation, and TCP/IP method is applied for mass data transmission. The development of the host control program is described in detail. The test results of the shared variable and TCP/IP methods are presented, as well as data showing the advantages of the TCP/IP method. The experiment results with two different sequences of plasma production are given and discussed here.