The SARAF Phase II cryogenic linear accelerator (linac) is currently under construction and will be commissioned through collaborative efforts between SNRC and CEA. The linac will accelerate a 5 mA pulsed/continuous wave (CW) proton and deuteron beam, reaching energies of up to 35 MeV and 40 MeV, respectively. The linac injector consists of Phase I components, including an ECR ion source, a Low-Energy Beam Transport (LEBT) line, and a 4-rod Radio Frequency Quadruple (RFQ). Additionally, a new Medium Energy Beam Transport (MEBT) line has been installed and integrated into the injector infrastructure. The MEBT includes three rebuncher resonators, magneto-optical elements, and beam diagnostics. The MEBT beam diagnostics, as well as the Phase I D-plate installed downstream, were used for beam characterization. The downstream-installed Temporary Beam Line (TBL) and a prototype of the Gallium Indium Liquid Target (GALIT) were used for commissioning, operating at high beam duty cycles, including CW mode. The report describes the proton beam commissioning process of the injector prior to the delivery of the cryomodules, scheduled for the second half of 2023.

During the EVEDA (engineering validation and engineering design activities) phase of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) project, a 125 mA/9 MeV linear prototype accelerator (LIPAc) has to be built, tested and operated in Rokkasho-mura (Japan). Involved in this project for several years, CEA-Saclay designed the injector of this accelerator which is composed of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source, delivering a 140 mA deuteron beam at 100 keV, and a low energy beam transport (LEBT) line to match the beam for the injection into the radio-frequency quadrupole. In this paper, the components of the LIPAc injector are described. The commissioning of the ion source and LEBT with beam started in November 2014. The different phases of the commissioning are explained and some noticeable experimental results obtained with a D+ beam at 100 keV are presented.

The objective of linear IFMIF prototype accelerator is to demonstrate 125 mA/CW deuterium ion beam acceleration up to 9 MeV. The injector has been developed in CEA Saclay and already demonstrated 140 mA/100 keV deuterium beam [R. Gobin et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 02A918 (2014)]. The injector was disassembled and delivered to the International Fusion Energy Research Center in Rokkasho, Japan. After reassembling the injector, commissioning has started in 2014. Up to now, 100 keV/120 mA/CW hydrogen and 100 keV/90 mA/CW deuterium ion beams have been produced stably from a 10 mm diameter extraction aperture with a low beam emittance of 0.21 π mm mrad (rms, normalized). Neutron production by D-D reaction up to 2.4 × 10(9) n/s has been observed in the deuterium operation.

Experiments to investigate the space charge compensation of pulsed high-current heavy ion beams are performed at the GSI ion source text benches with a 4-grid analyzer provided by CEA/Saclay. The technical design of the 4-grid analyzer is revised to verify its functionality for measurements at pulsed high-current heavy ion beams. The experimental investigation of space charge compensation processes is needed to increase the performance and quality of current and future accelerator facilities. Measurements are performed directly downstream a triode extraction system mounted to a multi-cusp ion source at a high-current test bench as well as downstream the post-acceleration system of the high-current test injector (HOSTI) with ion energies up to 120 keV/u for helium and argon. At HOSTI, a cold or hot reflex discharge ion source is used to change the conditions for the measurements. The measurements were performed with helium, argon, and xenon and are presented. Results from measurements with single aperture extraction systems are shown.

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) linear IFMIF prototype accelerator injector dedicated to high intensity deuteron beam production has been designed, built, and tested at CEA/Saclay between 2008 and 2012. After the completion of the acceptance tests at Saclay, the injector has been fully sent to Japan. The re-assembly of the injector has been performed between March and May 2014. Then after the check-out phase, the production of the first proton beam occurred in November 2014. Hydrogen and deuteron beam commissioning is now in progress after having proceeded with the final tests on the entire injector equipment including high power diagnostics. This article reports the different phases of the injector installation pointing out the safety and security needs, as well as the first beam production results in Japan and chopper tests. Detailed operation and commissioning results (with H+ and D+ 100 keV beams) are reported in a second article.

Ion species ratio of high current positive hydrogen/deuterium ion beams extracted from an electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source for International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility accelerator was measured by the Doppler shift Balmer-α line spectroscopy. The proton (H+) ratio at the middle of the low energy beam transport reached 80% at the hydrogen ion beam extraction of 100 keV/160 mA and the deuteron (D+) ratio reached 75% at the deuterium ion beam extraction of 100 keV/113 mA. It is found that the H+ ratio measured by the spectroscopy gives lower than that derived from the phase-space diagram measured by an Allison scanner type emittance monitor. The H+/D+ ratio estimated by the emittance monitor was more than 90% at those extraction currents.

In the framework of the ITER broader approach, the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) deuteron accelerator (2 × 125 mA at 40 MeV) is an irradiation tool dedicated to high neutron flux production for future nuclear plant material studies. During the validation phase, the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) machine will be tested on the Rokkasho site in Japan. This demonstrator aims to produce 125 mA/9 MeV deuteron beam. Involved in the LIPAc project for several years, specialists from CEA/Saclay designed the injector based on a SILHI type ECR source operating at 2.45 GHz and a 2 solenoid low energy beam line to produce such high intensity beam. The whole injector, equipped with its dedicated diagnostics, has been then installed and tested on the Saclay site. Before shipment from Europe to Japan, acceptance tests have been performed in November 2012 with 100 keV deuteron beam and intensity as high as 140 mA in continuous and pulsed mode. In this paper, the emittance measurements done for different duty cycles and different beam intensities will be presented as well as beam species fraction analysis. Then the reinstallation in Japan and commissioning plan on site will be reported.

To avoid saturation, beam current transformers must be shielded from solenoid, quad, and RFQ high stray fields. Good understanding of field distribution, shielding materials, and techniques is required. Space availability imposes compact shields along the beam pipe. This paper describes compact effective concatenated magnetic shields for IFMIF-EVEDA LIPAc LEBT and MEBT and for FAIR Proton Linac injector. They protect the ACCT Current Transformers beyond 37 mT radial external fields. Measurements made at Saclay on the SILHI source are presented.

In the framework of the IFMIF-EVEDA project (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities), CEA∕IRFU is in charge of the design, construction, and characterization of the 140 mA continuous deuteron injector, including the source and the low energy beam line. The electron cyclotron resonance ion source which operates at 2.45 GHz is associated with a 4-electrode extraction system in order to minimize beam divergence at the source exit. Krypton gas injection is foreseen in the 2-solenoid low energy beam line. Such Kr injection will allow reaching a high level of space charge compensation in order to improve the beam matching at the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) entrance. The injector construction is now completed on the Saclay site and the first plasma and beam production has been produced in May 2011. This installation will be tested with proton and deuteron beams either in pulsed or continuous mode at Saclay before shipping to Japan. In this paper, after a brief description of the installation, the preliminary results obtained with hydrogen gas injection into the plasma chamber will be reported.

The high intensity ion source (SILHI), in operation at CEA-Saclay, has been used to produce a 90 mA pulsed proton beam with pulse length and repetition rates suitable for the European Spallation Source (ESS) linac. Typical r-r′ rms normalized emittance values smaller than 0.2π mm mrad have been measured for operation in pulsed mode (0.01 < duty cycle < 0.15 and 1 ms < pulse duration < 10 ms) that are relevant for the design update of the Linac to be used at the ESS in Lund.

The sources adapted to beam production for high power proton accelerators must obey to the request of high brightness, stability and reliability. The Versatile Ion Source (VIS) is based on permanent magnets to produce an off-resonance microwave discharge (the maximum field value on the chamber axis is around 0.1 T). It operates up to 75 kV without a bulky high voltage platform, producing several tens of mA of proton beams and monocharged ions. The microwave injection system and the extraction electrodes geometry have been designed in order to optimize the beam brightness. Moreover, the VIS source ensures long time operations without maintenance and high reliability. A description of the main components and of the source performances is given in the following. A brief summary of the possible next developments is also presented, particularly for pulsed mode operations, that are relevant for some future projects (e.g. the European Spallation Source of Lund).

To characterize high intensity ion beam in low energy beam transport line, diagnostics based on residual gas molecule excitation are commonly used. An example is CCD sensors for beam intensity, beam position and beam profile measurements. At CEA/Saclay with the SILHI injector, beam images transports from viewport to sensor have been performed with a fiberscope. Such technique will be used to transfer the beam images away from the irradiated zone of the IFMIF-EVEDA tunnel which requires using hardened radiation devices. Indeed, the (D,d) reaction, due to interaction of 140 mA-100 keV deuteron beam with vacuum pipes or scrapers, leads to high neutron and gamma ray flux. As a consequence, in addition to CID cameras for online beam positioning and shape measurements, a 20 m long Fujikura fiberscope has been selected to analyze species fraction using the Doppler shift method. Preliminary measurements have been performed with the SILHI beam to characterize the fiberscope. Its spatial resolution and transmission as well as a CCD sensor and fiberscope comparison are presented. Beam species fractions with and without the use of fiberscope are also reported.

In the framework of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities (IFMIF-EVEDA) project, CEA/IRFU is in charge of the design and realization of the 140 mA cw deuteron Injector. The electron cyclotron resonance ion source operates at 2.45 GHz and a 4 electrode extraction system has been chosen. A 2 solenoid beam line, together with a high space charge compensation have been optimized for a proper beam injection in the 175 MHz radio frequency quadrupole. The injector will be tested with proton and deuteron beam production either in pulsed mode or in cw mode on the CEA-Saclay site before to be shipped to Japan. Special attention was paid to neutron emission due to (d,D) reaction. In this paper, the general IFMIF Injector design is reported, pointing out beam dynamics, radioprotection, diagnostics, and mechanical aspects.

Optical diagnostics based on the excitation of residual gas molecules are routinely used for high intensity beam characterization. Beam intensity, beam position and profile are measured by means of a digital camera. In addition species fraction and profile of each beam are measured using a Doppler shift method. As part of IFMIF-EVEDA project, CEA is in charge of the design and realization of the 140 mA-100 keV cw deuteron source and low energy beam transport line. In the beam line, (D,d) reaction will occur and high neutron flux will be emitted when deuteron beam interacts with surfaces. Moreover gamma ray and activation will also occur. In order to protect diagnostics, coherent optic fibers could be used to transport the beam image outside the irradiated zone. A comparative study of two coherent fibers will be presented (FUJIKURA & SCHOTT), along with the characterization in magnification and transmission of a 610 mm long fiber and its associated optics. To estimate the capability of such fibers to transport beam image, a dedicated experiment has been performed with proton beam produced by the SILHI source. The beam profile has been compared with and without the optic fiber.

EVEDA (Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities) phase of the IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) project consists in building, testing and operating, in Japan, a 125 mA/9 MeV deuteron accelerator,calledLIPAC, whichhasbeendevelopedinEurope. The 140 mA cw D + beam that has to be delivered by the LIPAC injector is produced by a 2.45 GHz ECR ion source based on the SILHI design. The low energy beam transfer line (LEBT) relies on a dual solenoid focusing system to transport the beam and to match it into the RFQ [1]. The beam line is equipped by several diagnostics: intensity measurement, emittance measurement unit, profilers and beam proportion analysis. During the LIPAC injector beam commissioning performed in CEA-Saclay, the deuteron beam intensity transportedat the end of the LEBT reached an unprecedented value of 140 mA at 100 keV. In this paper, the results obtained during the commissioning are presented. In particular, beam emittance measurements as a function of duty cycle, extracted current from the ion source and solenoids tuning are exposed. The experimental results are discussed and compared to beam dynamics simulations.