A Test Bench for the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Centre

The Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Centre (HIT) is the only medical facility in Europe for cancer treatment with protons and carbon ions. To broaden the range of available ion species towards helium, the low energy beam transport (LEBT) will be extended by a third ion source and the associated spectrometer section. Following a novel ion optical approach the LEBT branch has been redesigned. A dedicated test bench will be used to commission and validate the new design prior to its integration into the medical accelerator. In its final stage the test bench will comprise an ECR ion source, a LEBT and an RFQ with diagnostics line. It opens up the unique opportunity to perform comprehensive investigations not only of the ion source but also of other devices like the RFQ which have been optimised in the frame of the LINAC upgrade. Here, particular emphasis will be placed on the new design of the analyser dipole and the macro pulse chopper. Furthermore results of beam optical simulations and first measurement results will be presented.