„Brightness Award 2007” for Dr. Jens Peters - DESY scientist honored for developments on ion sources

Jens Peters (right) receives the award from Professor Jose Alonso, president of the award committee.

On August 27, the Brightness Award has been presented to Dr. Jens Peters at the ICIS 2007 (International Conference on Ion Sources) in Korea. He was awarded for his contributions in the field of H- sources. H- particles – hydrogen atoms with a negative charge – are required for an effective proton production in particle accelerators. Jens Peters, born in Hamburg, studied electrical engineering at TU München. After having worked in Japan, he went to DESY and developed radiofrequency systems for PETRA. For one year, he stayed at Cornell University, USA, and afterwards he collaborated in the construction of the HERA H- LINAC III. In 2001 he graduated at Frankfurt University with a thesis on radiofrequency H- sources.

For the development of the HERA HF H- source, Jens Peters used radiofrequency for plasma production instead of a caesium source normally required for this purpose, thus designing an almost maintenance-free source. In the meantime, this source has been patented and is currently exported as DESY technology. A copy is being built at CERN which is to provide the LHC with protons. Essential parts are also used in the United States at the SNS spallation source and the use at Fermilab is also planned.At the presentation of the Brightness Award to Jens Peters, there was a special mention of his good collaboration with other international institutes. A world record – the production of the longest beam pulse with a source of this kind – was only possible with the provision of equipment from other institutes.