Beam dynamics and space charge studies for the InnovaTron cyclotron

Abstract

Abstract At IBA a high-intensity compact self-extracting cyclotron is being studied. There is no dedicated extraction device but instead, a special shaping of the magnetic iron and the use of harmonic coils to create large turn-separation. Proton currents up to 5 mA are aimed for. This would open new ways for large-scale production of medical radioisotopes. The main features of the cyclotron are presented. A major variable of the beam simulations is the space charge effect in the cyclotron centre. Using the SCALA-solver of Opera3D, we attempt to find the ion source plasma meniscus and the beam phase space and current extracted from it. With these properties known, we study the bunch formation and acceleration under high space charge condition with our in-house tracking code AOC. We also discuss a new tool that automates optimization of cyclotron settings for maximizing beam properties such as extraction efficiency.