A radio frequency ring electrode cooler for low-energy ion beams

We are investigating a new concept for ion confinement while buffer-gas-cooling low-energy ion beams. Instead of applying the well-established technique of Radio Frequency Quadrupoles (RFQs) where the ions are transversely confined by a quadratic-pseudo potential we are using a stack of thin ring electrodes supplied by an RF field (RF funnel) which creates a box-shaped potential well. In Monte Carlo simulations we have investigated the transmission behavior and cooling performance of the RF funnel. First experimental investigations with ion currents up to 20 nA revealed a promising transmission characteristic which qualifies the RF funnel as high-current cooler.