The Ion Source Development & Diagnostics Section (ISDDS) of Proton Linac Development Division, is involved in research and development of technologies related to various ion sources like Filament Arc Discharge based H- ion source, RF based H- ion source and ECR ion source as an injector to the low energy (3 MeV) RFQ-Linac for Indian Facility for Spallation Research (IFSR). We have indigenously designed and developed our country's first high current H- ion source (12 mA, 50 keV). This source is coupled to low energy beam transport system (LEBT) for beam characterization and transport studies. ISDDS has also indigenously designed and developed a prototype RF based H- ion source (6 mA, 50 keV, 2 ms, 50 Hz) and associated critical components like 13.56 MHz (1kW, DC and Pulsed) RF source, 2 MHz high power (up to 67 kW, Pulsed) RF Source, vacuum chambers, multicusp plasma chambers, H- ion beam extraction and transport systems, 100 kV floating platform and insulators, gas purging systems, plasma ignition and heating systems, plasma and H- ion beam characterization instruments (viz., Langmuir probe, Faraday Cup, emittance measurement system, ion beam analysis using laser photo detachment technique, fluorescent screen and CCD camera) etc.

Recently, we have started the study of ion beam target interaction and induced X-ray spectrum analysis using X-ray spectrometers, and radiation dose measuring devices in collaboration with Health Physics personal at RRCAT. Also, we have started inhouse development of control system for high voltage acceleration (-80 kV, 240 mA DC) and extraction (10kV, 1A, Pulsed), ignition (-10kV, 100mA, DC) power supplies, arcing power supply (100 A, 450 VDC), electromagnetic filter low voltage power supplies (30 A, 10 VDC), solenoid focusing magnets and H- ion beam steering magnets power supplies for their remote operation.