Implementation of a Superconducting Electron Beam Ion Source into the Hit Ion Source Testbench

Cancer therapy with light heavy ions is now a well proven technology. Almost all facilities are running Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRIS) to produce carbon ions and protons as well. In the 1990’s the idea of using a Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) was proposed [1]. Some proof of principle measurements were carried out [2] but the application of EBIS ion sources in radiation facilities has not been established. We present results from the implementation of a superconducting EBIS, the Dresden EBIS-SC, at an RFQ accelerator at the testbench of the Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT). First results from C ions produced by the Dresden EBISSC [3] and injection in an RFQ accelerator at the HIT testbench are shown. Furthermore, emittance measurements as well as investigations of the ion energy and the transmission through the RFQ were done. The emittance of the EBIS source is lower by a factor of nine compared to an ECRIS, which improves the transmission through the RFQ. With the current setup the ion output from the EBIS-SC is lower by a factor of 7 compared to an ECRIS to fulfill the requirements of the highest irradiation level (see Table 1). Further improvements are discussed.