A negative ion source test facility

Progress is being made in the development of an Ion Source Test Facility (ISTF) by D-Pace Inc. in collaboration with Buckley Systems Ltd. in Auckland, NZ. The first phase of the ISTF is to be commissioned in October 2015 with the second phase being commissioned in March 2016. The facility will primarily be used for the development and the commercialization of ion sources. It will also be used to characterize and further develop various D-Pace Inc. beam diagnostic devices.

An ion source research facility

As an ion source developer, D-Pace frequently faces the issue of needing access to a research facility to be able to test equipment or to develop our existing technology further. The closest facility to perform such tasks is hundreds of kilometers away, at TRIUMF, and it is not always feasible to make use of it on a timely basis. With a growing demand and a desire to enhance our products, the idea to create an ion source research facility in our region evolved. In this paper, we will discuss the approach that was chosen to reach our goal, the status of the project, the principle layout of the facility, and the different ways this facility could be utilized.