The only Hungarian electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source (ECRIS) operates in the ECR laboratory of Atomki. Being a part of the Atomki Accelerator Center, it is a stand-alone device to be used for basic research (atomic and plasma physics) and for applications.

The only Hungarian electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source (ECRIS) operates in the ECR laboratory of Atomki. The ECR ion source is a middle-size facility and - contrary to its name - actually it is a low energy particle accelerator devoted to produce and deliver plasmas and ion beams in wide range of the elements, charges and energies. Plasma and ion choice: H, He, N, O, Ne, Si, Ar, Kr, Xe (from gases) and Ca, Ni, Fe, Zn, C, C60, Zn, Au, Ag, Pb (from solids). The energy and charge of the ion beams can be varied up to an upper limit. The highest achieved charge so far has been 27 (gold and xenon) which is a Hungarian record. The total kinetic beam energy can be changed between 50 eV and 1 MeV, continuously. In the laboratory numerous atomic and plasma physics investigations are being carried out, e.g. plasma diagnostics, X-ray spectroscopy, ion-surface and ion thin layer interactions. Among the perspective applications, it is worth to mention the functionalization of materials: the plasmas and ion beams produced by the ECRIS can change the surface properties of industrial and medical samples (e.g. implant materials) for a specific goal.