Visible Light Emission of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasmas

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasmas generated by microwave and confined by magnetic field are, in most cases, generated for highly charged ion production followed by injection of them into an accelerator. The ECR plasma itself usually cannot be seen because it is deeply hidden in the center of the facility. In the Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), the ECR ion source (ECRIS) operates as a stand-alone device, and this independence opens a possibility for us to look in the plasma chamber during an almost normal operation. High-resolution visible light photographs of the ATOMKI ECRIS plasma were taken and presented here.