Effect of secondary ions on the electron beam optics in the Recycler Electron Cooler

Antiprotons in Fermilab's Recycler ring are cooled by a 4.3 MeV, 0.1 - 0.5 A DC electron beam (as well as by a stochastic cooling system). The unique combination of the relativistic energy ({\gamma} = 9.49), an Ampere - range DC beam, and a relatively weak focusing makes the cooling efficiency particularly sensitive to ion neutralization. A capability to clear ions was recently implemented by way of interrupting the electron beam for 1-30 \mus with a repetition rate of up to 40 Hz. The cooling properties of the electron beam were analyzed with drag rate measurements and showed that accumulated ions significantly affect the beam optics. For a beam current of 0.3 A, the longitudinal cooling rate was increased by factor of ~2 when ions were removed.