The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an accelerator-based, short-pulse (sub-μs) neutron production facility for a broad range of scientific applications. A 65-keV H- injector consisting of an rf-driven H- ion source and an electrostatic low energy beam transport section delivers high-current (>50 mA), time-structured (60 Hz, 1.0 ms macro-pulse divided...
H- charge exchange (stripping) injection into the European Spallation Neutron Source (ESS) Storage Ring requires a 90 mA H- ion source that delivers 2.9 ms pulses at 14 Hz repetition rate (duty factor ~4%) that can be extended to 28 Hz (df 8%). This can be achieved with a magnetron surface plasma H- source (SPS) with active cathode and anode cooling. The Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)...
Abstract. The U.S. Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is a state-of-the-art neutron scattering facility delivering the world’s most intense pulsed neutron beams to a wide array of instruments which are used to conduct investigations in many fields of science and engineering. Neutrons are produced by spallation of liquid Hg by bombardment of short (~1s), intense (~40A) pulses of protons...
The SNS H- ion sources deliver the required ~50 mA with practically perfect availability for the entire ~4-months production cycles. The source performance varies from cycle to cycle but the required output current can be easily reached by adjusting the 2 MHz power. However, in about 10 years the SNS H- source is required to deliver routinely ~60 mA for the second target station. While this...
