The ISIS Low Energy Beams Group (LEBG) and iThemba Laboratories for Accelerator-Based Science (LABS) are developing novel diagnostics equipment and techniques to improve the availability of ion sources for accelerators, and their applications in flagship science facilities, in the UK and South Africa.

Both ISIS and iThemba LABS use 'Penning' ion sources, which can produce world-record bright ion beams but suffer from limited lifetime. They are used for neutron and muon production at ISIS, and fundamental nuclear physics and medical isotope production at iThemba LABS.

“Measuring the light emitted by the plasma of an ion source with high sensitivity and time-resolution reveals how plasma conditions and impurities affect the beam production, and the longevity of the ion sources" comments Olli Tarvainen, an ISIS scientist leading the project.

The equipment that measures and analyses this light was first developed at ISIS and will be later adopted at iThemba LABS after technology transfer. The two labs are now working together on to develop monitoring techniques that will enable the accelerator operators to avoid conditions compromising the long-term performance of the ion source. An important part of the project, funded by the Research Infrastructure Partnership Programme of STFC, is training of iThemba LABS staff to use the technology developed at ISIS.

In July 2025, the LEBG had the pleasure to host Dr Muneer Sakildien (pictured, right) for an experimental campaign using the Ion Source Development Rig (ISDR) and Front End Test Stand (FETS) facilities at ISIS. “I'm very happy to work with the engineers and scientists of the ISIS LEBG and witness the progress made in developing the technology, which will help us to solve problems and advance science in my home country", Muneer says. “Getting some hands-on experience with the equipment truly paves the way for the technology transfer to South Africa."