Development of High Efficiency Versatile Arc Discharge Ion Source (VADIS) at CERN Isolde

We report here recent developments of Forced Electron Beam Impact Arc Discharge (FEBIAD) ion sources at CERN-ISOLDE. As a result of the propositions to improve the ionization efficiency, two FEBIAD prototypes have been produced and successfully tested in 2008. Off-line studies showed that the 1+ ionization efficiencies for noble gases are 5 to 20 times larger than with the standard ISOLDE FEBIAD ion sources, and reach 60% for Radon, which allowed the identification at ISOLDE of 229Rn, an isotope that had never previously been observed in the laboratory. A factor 3 increase is also expected for the ionization efficiency of the other elements. The experimental and theoretical methodology is presented. The theoretical model which gives precise insights on the processes affecting the ionization is used to design optimal sources for the different chemical classes of the produced isotopes, as already demonstrated for noble gases.