Tests of a laser ion source at the Heidelberg electron beam ion trap

Abstract

A laser ion source (LIS) has been designed and successfully tested for loading the Heidelberg electron beam ion trap (H-EBIT) with ions of practically all solid-state elements. A pulsed YAG:Nd3+ laser (30 mJ, 8 ns) is used to produce plasma from a solid target. Lowly charged ions are extracted from the plasma and accelerated by a short high-voltage pulse, generating a pulsed ion beam with energy of up to 6 keV per charge. The ion beam is transported into the EBIT, decelerated and captured within it by switching the trapping electrode potentials. The electron beam further ionizes the trapped ions to the desired highly charged states. The experimental setup is described together with the source parameters measured for different target materials. X-ray spectra of up to He-like highly charged ions (Cu, Mo, Pb, Al and Ge) produced in the EBIT after injection from the LIS have been measured. The reliability and convenience of this method allows the use of the LIS to produce highly charged ions of both insulating and conducting solid elements with an EBIT as needed for different experiments.