Focusing Properties of the Electrostatic Plasma Lens with Minimized Magnetic Field Gradients

Abstract – We describe the results of investigations of the suitability of the electrostatic plasma lens with minimized magnetic field gradients as a focus-ing element in the low energy injection beam lines of particle accelerators. We investigate the focusing of high-current wide-aperture heavy ion beam. It is shown that under optimal conditions the lens does not increase the emittance or the (fractional) beam noise, and allows increasing the ion current density by a factor of 30 (up to 250 mA/cm2). It is shown also that the lens can provide ion current density up to 400 mA/cm2 or more if an appropriate ion source extraction system is used. 1