Development of a radio-frequency quadrupole cooler for high beam currents

The SHIRaC prototype is a recently developed radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) beam cooler with an improved optics design to deliver the required beam quality to a high resolution separator (HRS). For an isobaric separation of isotopes, the HRS demands beams with emittance not exceeding 3 pi mm mrad and longitudinal energy spread similar to 1 eV. Simulation studies showed a significant contribution of the buffer gas diffusion, space charge effect and mainly the rf fringe field to degrade the achieved beam quality at the RFQ exit. A miniature rf quadrupole (mu RFQ) has been implemented at that exit to remove the degrading effects and provide beams with 1 eV of energy spread and around 1.75 pi mm mrad of emittance for 4 Pa gas pressure. This solution enables also to transmit more than 60% of the incoming ions for currents up to 1 mu A. Detailed studies of this development are presented and discussed in this paper. Transport of beams from SHIRaC towards the HRS has been done with an electrostatic quadrupole triplet. Simulations and first experimental tests showed that more than 95% of ions can reach the HRS. Because SPIRAL-2 beams are of high current and very radioactive, the buffer gas will be highly contaminated. Safe maintenance of the SHIRaC beam line needs exceptional treatment of radioactive contaminants. For that, special vinyl sleep should be mounted on elements to be maintained. A detailed maintenance process will be presented.