An articles includes: an ion source configured to provide a first ion beam that has a first brightness; and a cooler configured to receive the first ion beam and to produce a second ion beam from the first ion beam, the second ion beam including a second brightness that is greater than the first brightness. A process for cooling includes receiving a first ion beam that includes a first brightness in a cooler, and the cooler includes a first mirror and a second mirror disposed opposingly to the first mirror; receiving a first laser beam in the cooler; receiving a second laser beam in the cooler; transmitting the first laser beam and the second laser beam through the first ion beam to decrease an emittance of the first ion beam; reflecting the first laser beam from the first mirror and the second laser beam from the second mirror; and transmitting, after being reflected, the first laser beam and the second laser beam through the first ion beam to cool the first ion beam and to decrease the emittance of the first ion beam to produce a second ion beam that includes a second brightness that is greater than the first brightness.