Justin R Carmichael

The continued development of the Spallation Neutron Source external antenna H- ion source

The U.S. Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is an accelerator-based, pulsed neutron-scattering facility, currently in the process of ramping up neutron production. In order to ensure that the SNS will meet its operational commitments as well as provide for future facility upgrades with high reliability, we are developing a rf-driven, H(-) ion source based on a water-cooled, ceramic aluminum nitride (AlN) plasma chamber. To date, early versions of this source have delivered up to 42 mA to the SNS front end and unanalyzed beam currents up to approximately 100 mA (60 Hz, 1 ms) to the ion source test stand. This source was operated on the SNS accelerator from February to April 2009 and produced approximately 35 mA (beam current required by the ramp up plan) with availability of approximately 97%. During this run several ion source failures identified reliability issues, which must be addressed before the source re-enters production: plasma ignition, antenna lifetime, magnet cooling, and cooling jacket integrity. This report discusses these issues, details proposed engineering solutions, and notes progress to date.

Ion Source Development at the SNS

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) now routinely operates near 1 MW of beam power on target with a highly‐persistent ∼38 mA peak current in the linac and an availability of ∼90%. The ∼1 ms‐long, 60 Hz, ∼50 mA H− beam pulses are extracted from a Cs‐enhanced, multi‐cusp, RF‐driven, internal‐antenna ion source. An electrostatic LEBT (Low Energy Beam Transport) focuses the 65 kV beam into the RFQ accelerator. The ion source and LEBT have normally a combined availability of ∼99%. Although much progress has been made over the last years to achieve this level of availability further improvements are desirable. Failures of the internal antenna and occasionally impaired electron dump insulators require several source replacements per year. An attempt to overcome the antenna issues with an AlN external antenna source early in 2009 had to be terminated due to availability issues. This report provides a comprehensive review of the design, experimental history, status, and description of recently updated components a...

Evaluation and utilization of beam simulation codes for the SNS ion source and low energy beam transport development.

Beam simulation codes PBGUNS, SIMION, and LORENTZ-3D were evaluated by modeling the well-diagnosed SNS base line ion source and low energy beam transport (LEBT) system. Then, an investigation was conducted using these codes to assist our ion source and LEBT development effort which is directed at meeting the SNS operational and also the power-upgrade project goals. A high-efficiency H(-) extraction system as well as magnetic and electrostatic LEBT configurations capable of transporting up to 100 mA is studied using these simulation tools.

Time-of-flight Bragg scattering from aligned stacks of lipid bilayers using the Liquids Reflectometer at the Spallation Neutron Source

Time-of-flight (TOF) neutron diffraction experiments on aligned stacks of lipid bilayers using the horizontal Liquids Reflectometer at the Spallation Neutron Source are reported. Specific details are given regarding the instrumental setup, data collection and reduction, phase determination of the structure factors, and reconstruction of the one-dimensional neutron scattering length density (NSLD) profile. The validity of using TOF measurements to determine the one-dimensional NSLD profile is demonstrated by reproducing the results of two well known lipid bilayer structures. The method is then applied to show how an antimicrobial peptide affects membranes with and without cholesterol.

Effect of Ion Escape Velocity and Conversion Surface Material on H− Production

According to generally accepted models surface production of negative ions depends on ion escape velocity and work function of the surface. We have conducted an experimental study addressing the role of the ion escape velocity on H{sup -} production. A converter-type ion source at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center was employed for the experiment. The ion escape velocity was changed by varying the bias voltage of the converter electrode. It was observed that due to enhanced stripping of H{sup -} no direct gain of extracted beam current can be achieved by increasing the converter voltage. At the same time the conversion efficiency of H{sup -} was observed to vary with converter voltage and follow the existing theories in qualitative manner. We discuss the role of surface material on H{sup -} formation probability and present calculations predicting relative H{sup -} yields from different cesiated surfaces. These calculations are compared with experimental observations from different types of H{sup -} ion sources. The effects caused by varying cesium coverage are also discussed. Finally, we present a novel idea of utilizing materials exhibiting so-called negative electron affinity in H{sup -}/D{sup -} production under UV-light exposure.

H− ion source developments at the SNSa)

The U.S. Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) will require substantially higher average and pulse H(-) beam currents than can be produced from conventional ion sources such as the base line SNS source. H(-) currents of 40-50 mA (SNS operations) and 70-100 mA (power upgrade project) with a rms emittance of 0.20-0.35pi mm mrad and a approximately 7% duty factor will be needed. We are therefore investigating several advanced ion source concepts based on rf plasma excitation. First, the performance characteristics of an external antenna source based on an Al(2)O(3) plasma chamber combined with an external multicusp magnetic configuration, an elemental Cs system, and plasma gun will be discussed. Second, the first plasma measurements of a helicon-driven H(-) ion source will also be presented.

High-pressure cell for neutron reflectometry of supercritical and subcritical fluids at solid interfaces.

A new high-pressure cell design for use in neutron reflectometry (NR) for pressures up to 50 MPa and a temperature range of 300-473 K is described. The cell design guides the neutron beam through the working crystal without passing through additional windows or the bulk fluid, which provides for a high neutron transmission, low scattering background, and low beam distortion. The o-ring seal is suitable for a wide range of subcritical and supercritical fluids and ensures high chemical and pressure stability. Wafers with a diameter of 5.08 cm (2 in.) and 5 mm or 10 mm thickness can be used with the cells, depending on the required pressure and momentum transfer range. The fluid volume in the sample cell is very small at about 0.1 ml, which minimizes scattering background and stored energy. The cell design and pressure setup for measurements with supercritical fluids are described. NR data are shown for silicon/silicon oxide and quartz wafers measured against air and subsequently within the high-pressure cell to demonstrate the neutron characteristics of the high-pressure cell. Neutron reflectivity data for supercritical CO(2) in contact with quartz and Si/SiO(2) wafers are also shown.

A cryogenic high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of quantum fluids and solids

We present our new development of a high pressure cell for inelastic neutron scattering measurements of helium at ultra-low temperatures. The cell has a large sample volume of ~140 cm(3) and a working pressure of ~7 MPa, with a relatively thin wall-thickness (1.1 mm)--thanks to the high yield strength aluminum used in the design. Two variants of this cell have been developed. The first cell is permanently joined components using electron-beam welding and explosion welding, methods that have little or no impact on the global heat treatment of the cell. The second cell discussed has modular and interchangeable components, which includes a capacitance pressure gauge, that can be sealed using the traditional indium wire technique. The performance of the cells have been tested in recent measurements on superfluid liquid helium near the solidification line.