First results from the recently developed, high-performance next-generation 18GHz ECRIS-SECRAL

The recently developed SECRAL (Superconducting Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source with Advanced design in Lanzhou) ion source is a high-performance nextgeneration ECR ion source. It is designed to produce high current, high charge state heavy ion beams for HIRFL (Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou) cyclotrons. In August 2005, the first plasma was obtained at 18 GHz. Preliminary performances of SECRAL on gaseous elements such as oxygen, argon and xenon are quite promising, with many world record ion beams being delivered such as 2.3 emA O6+, 0.81 emA(7+) , 0.81 emA Ar11+, 0.5 emA Xe20+, 306 e mu A Xe (27+) and 9 e mu A Xe36+. In April 2006, metallic ion beam production was tested on SECRAL. Very preliminary but promising results were obtained. This paper briefly describes the design of the SECRAL ion source, the ion beam analyzing system and also the ion beam detection system. Typical gaseous and metallic performances of SECRAL at 18GHz are presented.