Initial Operation of the Holifield Facility

The Holifield Facility has been completed and operation for experiments is well under way. Experience to date with operation of the 25 MV Pelletron has shown it to be a sturdy and smoothly operating accelerator. The inability to operate reliably at terminal voltages of 20 MV and above has been a disappointment but we have begun modifications aimed at the problem believed to be the source of this limitation. We are confident that with continued efforts of ORNL and NEC the machine will be brought to full potential. Experience with booster operation of ORIC has been particularly successful and has provided a new range of ion-energy combinations for use in experiments. The long term stability of this operational mode illustrates the power and flexibility of a tandem accelerator as an injector for a cyclotron booster.