About
A practical guide to choosing ion sources, ions, and accelerator paths for real research and engineering decisions.
Purpose
Heavy Ion Sources is a practical technical guide for understanding how ion sources, beam species, and accelerator systems fit together. The goal is to help researchers, engineers, students, and program decision-makers move from concepts to useful design and procurement choices.
Who this site is for
- Engineers designing or upgrading ion source and injector systems.
- Researchers selecting ions and accelerator configurations for experiments.
- Students learning plasma, extraction, and beam transport fundamentals.
- Program managers comparing technical options, cost drivers, and integration risks.
Start here by interest
I am new to heavy ions
Begin with the learning modules, then use the glossary to build core vocabulary.
I want to choose an ion source
Compare source types, then use the selection matrix and plasma fundamentals to narrow options.
I need a specific ion species
Browse ion species pages for production approaches, typical use cases, and source compatibility.
I need the right accelerator chain
Review RFQ, linac, cyclotron, and synchrotron pathways and how they pair with source outputs.
I am solving an application problem
Start from medicine, materials, research, or space use cases and work backward to system choices.
I want to collaborate
Find community resources and contribute references, diagrams, and lessons learned.
Recommended 10-minute path
- Read the Ionization overview to understand source families.
- Open the selection matrix to compare tradeoffs quickly.
- Check ion species pages for your target beam.
- Confirm accelerator compatibility and chain constraints.
- Use application pages to validate real-world fit.
Quick links: Ionization Overview, Selection Matrix, Plasma Basics, Ion Species, Accelerators, Applications, Glossary.