Review of intense light-ion beam production, transport and focussing

In this paper we describe the status of intense light ion beam production, transport and focussing. We summarise the progress achieved in our understanding of two-stage ion acceleration. A rather consistent view of the injector gap physics has appeared through improved numerical and analytical modelling combined with detailed temporally and spatially resolved field and particle density measurements in the acceleration gap. This needs to be extended to the post-accelerating gap by conducting more systematic experiments at high power and high voltage. Especially a complete understanding of constraints due to limiting voltages and the coupling of instabilities from the injector- to the post-accelerator-gap must still be obtained. We also discuss the efforts to produce clean and large area sources for ions with masses greater than one. It is proposed to tolerate a certain degree of source contaminants, but burying them temporarily under an injected gas or vapour layer. Experimental evidence for self-pinched transport has been demonstrated for the first time at NRL. However more detailed measurements of the dynamics and magnitude of net current formation and transport efficiency seem necessary.