Simulation and experimental investigation of heavy ion induced desorption from cryogenic targets?

Heavy-ion impact induced gas desorption is the key process that drives beam intensity limiting dynamic vacuum losses. Minimizing this effect, by providing low desorption yield surfaces, is an important issue for maintaining a stable ultra high vacuum during operation with medium charge state heavy ions. For room temperature targets, investigations show a scaling of the desorption yield with the beam's near-surface electronic energy loss, i.e. a decrease with increasing energy [1, 2]. An optimized material for a room temperature ion-catcher has been found. But for the planned superconducting heavy-ion synchrotron SIS100 at the FAIR accelerator complex, the ion catcher system has to work in a cryogenic environment. Desorption measurements with the prototype cryocatcher for SIS100 showed an unexpected energy scaling [3], which needs to be explained. Understanding this scaling might lead to a better suited choice of material, resulting in a lower desorption yield. Here, new experimental results will be presented along with insights gained from gas dynamics simulations.