Production of multicharged metallic ions by the association of an excimer laser and an ECR ion source

This letter reports on the production and the acceleration, with the GANIL 100 kV high voltage platform, of high charge state uranium ions (238U25+). A pulsed excimer laser, injecting a beam axially through the extraction hole of an ECRIS, has been used for ablation on a rotating uranium target. The particles ejected from the solid surface of the target are ionised in the plasma of the source which is fed with oxygen support gas. A 3 e μA average beam of 238U25+ has been measured with a solid material consumption approximately of 1 mg/h. A laser pulse of ≈30 ns duration (FWHM) generates a plume of emitted particles of ≈200 μs duration (FWHM) which is transformed in the plasma into a beam pulse of ≈20 ms duration (FWHM). Time delays between the start of the laser pulse, the plume and the beam pulse have also been measured.