Optimizing charge breeding techniques for ISOL facilities in Europe: conclusions from the EMILIE project

ThuM07International audienceThe present paper summarizes the results obtained from the past few years in the framework ofthe Enhanced Multi-Ionization of short-Lived Isotopes for Eurisol (EMILIE) project. The EMILIEproject aims at improving the charge breeding techniques with both Electron Cyclotron ResonanceIon Sources (ECRIS) and Electron Beam Ion Sources (EBISs) for European Radioactive Ion Beam(RIB) facilities. Within EMILIE, an original technique for debunching the beam from EBIS chargebreeders is being developed, for making an optimal use of the capabilities of CW post-acceleratorsof the future facilities. Such a debunching technique should eventually resolve duty cycle andtime structure issues which presently complicate the data-acquisition of experiments. The resultsof the first tests of this technique are reported here. In comparison with charge breeding withan EBIS, the ECRIS technique had lower performance in efficiency and attainable charge statefor metallic ion beams and also suffered from issues related to beam contamination. In recentyears, improvements have been made which significantly reduce the differences between the twotechniques, making ECRIS charge breeding more attractive especially for CW machines producingintense beams. Upgraded versions of the Phoenix charge breeder, originally developed byLPSC, will be used at SPES and GANIL/SPIRAL. These two charge breeders have benefited fromstudies undertaken within EMILIE, which are also briefly summarized here