As part of a new, compact heavy ion injector for the AGS/RHIC complex at Br
ookhaven National Laboratory we are developing an electron beam ion source
(EBIS) that would satisfy present and future requirements. Such a source sh
ould be capable of producing intensities of, e.g., Au35+ ions of about 3x10
(9) particles/pulse or U45+ of about 2x10(9) particles/pulse. To achieve th
is, the required e-beam intensity is 10 A, at a pulse length of 100 ms. An
EBIS test stand has been constructed, designed for the full electron beam p
ower and having close to 1/2 of the trap length of an EBIS for RHIC. Initia
l electron beam tests have resulted in a 50 mu s, 13 A electron beam. Ion p
roduction and extraction has been shown with a 3.1 A, 50 ms electron beam,
achieving an ion yield of 19 nC/pulse (neutralization degree of 61%); fast
extraction trials have yielded extracted ion pulses of 1 mA peak current an
d 18 mu s at FWHM. Details of the test stand construction, results of the e
lectron beam studies, and properties of the extracted ion pulse are present
ed. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)60302-7].