Recent performance of the SNS H− ion source with a record long run

Abstract

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accelerator system includes a 65 keV H- injector, a 2.5 MeV radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ), a 1 GeV linac chain (DTL-CCL-SCL) and an accumulator ring. The H− injector consists of an RF-driven, Cs-enhanced, multi-cusp H− ion source and a compact, two-lens electrostatic low energy beam transport (LEBT). In 2018, a new RFQ was installed in place of the original RFQ along with upgraded ion source support infrastructure. This paper presents the operational performance and some highlights of beam studies with the SNS ion source since the new RFQ was put into operation. SNS routinely operates at 1.4 MW average beam power for three run cycles per year. During the most recently finished run, FY20B, we operated a single source for the entire run spanning ~4 months with a >99.5% availability. A single dose of cesiation was conducted during the ion source startup which yielded ≥54 mA current for the entire run with just few minor adjustments of parameters.