  Fundamental studies of excitation and non-linear evolution of kinetic
instabilities of strongly nonequlibrium hot plasmas confined in open magnetic
traps suggest new opportunities for fine-tuning of conventional electron
cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources. These devices are widely used for the
production of particle beams of high charge state ions. Operating the ion
source in controlled turbulence regime allows increasing the absorbed power
density and therefore the volumetric plasma energy content in the dense part of
the discharge surrounded by the ECR surface, which leads to enhanced beam
currents of high charge state ions. We report experiments at the ECR ion source
at the JYFL accelerator laboratory, in which adopting of a new approach allows
to increase the multicharged ion beam current up to two times, e.g. to 95
$\mu$A of O$^{7+}$ achieved with mere 280 W power at 11.56 GHz. A theoretical
model supporting and explaining the experimental findings is presented. The
study suggests that the controlled turbulence regime has the potential to
enhance the beam currents of modern high-performance ion sources, including
state-of-the-art superconducting devices.
