Laser-Plasma Ion Source of Wide Range of Elements for Heavy-Ion Beam Injection into Synchrotrons

The results of the first experiments on generation of ions of several light and heavy chemical elements using a new laser-plasma ion source, which is included in a heavy-ion injector of synchrotrons that is currently being developed at the NRC Kurchatov Institute, are described. This ion source is based on the FOCUS pulsed–periodic CO₂ laser system and includes a vacuum target chamber with a drift space and a high-voltage system for the extraction and formation of a charged particle beam. The design of the setup and the characteristics of laser radiation and Al, Fe, and Bi ion beams are presented. The high efficiency of this ion source in producing intense ion beams of a wide range of elements and the ability to quickly switch the ion type can be successfully used in injectors of synchrotrons for complex research and testing the radiation hardness of electronic components.