Long-time operation of a modified Cs sputter ion source 860-C

The modified Rossendorf Cs sputter ion source 860-C presented at the SNEAP 2002 [1] was opened in July 2004 for maintenance after 4100 operation hours. The main reason for this first source opening after its installation in July 2002 was a short circuit of the sputter voltage due to material deposition on the cathode insulator. Beside the long lifetime the modification of the source has resulted in a reduced erosion of the spherical ioniser and in a concentrated deposition of the sputtered material on the front side of the additional shielding electrode and on the cathode-shielding electrode. After cleaning all inner source parts can be reused in the ion source.

[1] M. Friedrich and H. Tyrroff, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 201 (2003) 645.