An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source was designed and its
performance was studied in comparison with a DC ion source. Ion produc
tion cost of 340 V/ion for ECR ion source and 189 V/ion for DC ion sou
rce were obtained at the pressure of 0.5 m Torr and the discharge powe
r of 50 W. A luminosity distribution of the Ar-II line was imaged thro
ugh an interferometer filter and a luminous arch hill was observed nea
r the ECR region, where the plasma was resonantly generated. Ion wall
loss measurement showed that the ion production cost became worse due
to the excessive ion wall loss near the cusped magnets, where the plas
ma confinement was inferior to that of the DC ion source.