Accelerator Handbook

THESE ARE DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS WRITTEN REMOTELY. THERE MAY BE OMISSIONS AND INCORRECT NOMENCLATURE, USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT…

START UP

In the Vault

1. LE Extension vacuum must be good as evidenced by Ion Gauge controller with orange displays on magnet.
2. Source vacuum must be good as evidenced by Ion Gauge controller with blue displays in 19“ rack.
3. Unground alpha source and hang shepherd's hook on concrete wall conduits, close gate.
4. Go around and unground sputter source, hang shepherd's hook on gate, and close gate.

In the Control Room

1. Source camera must have a view of the faraday screen on the blue box of the source head.
   1. To gain control of the source camera: On the joystick unit press “2” then “CAM” to specify the camera.
   2. Use the joystick and “TELE” or “WIDE” to create a view of interest.
2. If not already present, launch the Alphatross software on the source computer.
   1. In prompt succession press the “on” buttons for: Water Cooling, Source Power, and He4 Gas.
   2. These actions start a 60 second timer on the RF supply and set initial conditions on the Magnet and Mass Flow Controller.
   3. After 60 seconds the RF power starts, gives a reading on the meter above the faraday screen, and hopefully the plasma will ignite giving an intense white glow. It is bright enough to illuminate the faraday screen if not looking directly at it in the mirror.
   4. Plasma or not, raise the Magnet to 4 A, maybe the plasma will ignite.
   5. Monitor the Ion Gauge pressure, it should remain less than 4 x 10-6 Torr while setting the Probe. It should settle to around 2 x 10-6 or less when done.
   6. Raise the Probe Voltage to 3 KV as a start, this might be enough to get the plasma going.
   7. If there is still no plasma try raising the Mass Flow setting to as much as .5 SCCM to inspire ignition and then return to .35 SCCM.
   8. Monitor the Probe Current, maintain 3 mA +/- 1 mA, and continue raising the Probe Voltage until it reaches 6.5 KV.
   10. Set the Oven Voltage to 87 V, wait ten minutes. After 10 minutes the Oven Temp should be around 150 C.
   11. Set the Extractor Voltage to 5.5 KV and the Bias Voltage to a value that gives the desired injection energy less (6.5 + 5.5). Beam yield seems to increase with injection energy above 30 KeV. Suggest trying 41 or 53 KeV settings if pulsing.