E-mail: G.I.Dimov@inp.nsk.su

The newly-developed Tandem Surface-Plasma Source (SPS) concept is expected to break new ground ,n the production of high-current, high-brightness H^- ion beams. The Tandem SPS consist of three successive separate stages: the multipole plasma driver; the H- ion generator with a Cs-Mo converter, and the ion extraction and beam formation system. To date the plasma driver stage has been designed, and is anticipated to produce an intense plasma stream with high efficiency(low energy-per ion expenditure). The atomic processes in the second stage have been modeled, the anticipated result is a dense population of H^– ions with a very low temperature. The Tandem SPS source is expected to produce DC beams of H^– ions with currents up to 50 mA, and pulsed H^– beams at large duty factors with currents up to 100 mA.