Fritz Caspers

Conceptual design of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)

The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) will be a forth generation axion helioscope. As its primary physics goal, IAXO will look for axions or axion-like particles (ALPs) originating in the Sun via the Primakoff conversion of the solar plasma photons. In terms of signal-to-noise ratio, IAXO will be about 4–5 orders of magnitude more sensitive than CAST, currently the most powerful axion helioscope, reaching sensitivity to axion-photon couplings down to a few × 10−12 GeV−1 and thus probing a large fraction of the currently unexplored axion and ALP parameter space. IAXO will also be sensitive to solar axions produced by mechanisms mediated by the axion-electron coupling gae with sensitivity — for the first time — to values of gae not previously excluded by astrophysics. With several other possible physics cases, IAXO has the potential to serve as a multi-purpose facility for generic axion and ALP research in the next decade. In this paper we present the conceptual design of IAXO, which follows the layout of an enhanced axion helioscope, based on a purpose-built 20 m-long 8-coils toroidal superconducting magnet. All the eight 60cm-diameter magnet bores are equipped with focusing x-ray optics, able to focus the signal photons into ~ 0.2 cm2 spots that are imaged by ultra-low-background Micromegas x-ray detectors. The magnet is built into a structure with elevation and azimuth drives that will allow for solar tracking for ~ 12 h each day.

Prospects for searching axionlike particle dark matter with dipole, toroidal, and wiggler magnets

In this work, we consider searches for dark matter made of axions or axionlike particles using resonant radio frequency cavities inserted into dipole magnets from particle accelerators, wiggler magnets developed for accelerator based advanced light sources, and toroidal magnets similar to those used in particle-physics detectors. We investigate the expected sensitivity of such axionlike-particle dark-matter detectors and discuss the engineering aspects of building and tuning them. Brief mention is also made of even stronger field magnets which are becoming available due to improvements in magnetic technology. It is concluded that new experiments utilizing already-existing magnets could greatly enlarge the mass region in searches for axionlike dark matter particles.

Beam Impedance Measurement by the Wire Method Using a Synthetic Pulse Technique

The coaxial wire method is widely used to simulate the image current and the electromagnetic field of a bunch. Measurements are usually performed in frequency (impedance) or time-domain (k-parameter). Some limits of validity and possible sources of error applying this simulation method are discussed. In general one may expect correct results if measurements are restricted to single localized impedances much smaller than the characteristic impedance of the coaxial line (beampipe with center wire). In case of more than one localised small impedance in a given beampipe time-filtering can be applied, provided there is sufficient spatial separation to reduce the problem to the case of isolated single impedances and to eliminate multiple reflections from nonmatched 50 ohm transitions at the end of the beampipe. The technique consists in generating a synthetic pulse in time domain via FFT, from measurements taken in the frequency domain. This leads to higher spectral power density than realtime or sampling pulse measurements thus giving higher dynamic range and better reproducibility. The impedance Z(¿) as well as the loss parameter k as a function of the bunch length l. can then be deduced by computations.

Bench measurements of low frequency transverse impedance

For frequencies below 10 MHz the classical two wire transmission line method is subject to difficulties in sensitivity and measurement uncertainties. Thus for evaluation of the low frequency transverse impedance properties of the LHC dump kicker a modified version of the two wire transmission line has been used. It consists, in the present case, of a 10 turn loop of approximately 1 meter length and 2 cm width. The change of input impedance of the loop is measured as a function of the surroundings and by using a proper reference (metallic beam pipe) these changes are converted into a meaningful transverse beam coupling impedance. Measurements of several calibration objects have shown close agreement with theoretical results.

Multipactor in a Coaxial Line Under the Presence of an Axial DC Magnetic Field

The main goal of this letter is the analysis of the multipactor effect within a coaxial waveguide structure when an external axial dc magnetic field is applied. We have designed and manufactured a coaxial waveguide sample that has been immersed within a long solenoid. Numerical and experimental results confirm a significant change in the RF breakdown behavior with regard to the case without the axial dc magnetic field, as well as the existence of single- and double-surface multipactor regimes. Good agreement between theory and experimental data has been found.

The 4.8 GHz LHC Schottky pick-up system

The LHC Schottky observation system is based on traveling wave type high sensitivity pickup structures operating at 4.8 GHz. The choice of the structure and operating frequency is driven by the demanding LHC impedance requirements, where very low impedance is required below 2 GHz, and good sensitivity at the selected band at 4.8 GHz. A sophisticated filtering and triple down-mixing signal processing chain has been designed and implemented in order to achieve the specified 100 dB instantaneous dynamic range without range switching. Detailed design aspects for the complete systems and test results without beam are presented and discussed.

The Effect of 2-Directional Magnetic Biasing Used for Tuning of a Ferrite-Loaded Re-entrant Cavity

Cavities that are partially filled with ferrite material provide a tunable resonance frequency by making use of the changing μ-characteristics of ferrites when exposed to an external magnetic bias field. The concept of using either parallel or perpendicular magnetic biasing to reach a certain resonance frequency of a cavity has been known for many years. However, a cavity based on superposition of perpendicular and parallel magnetic fields to obtain improved ferrite characteristics was suggested in W. R. Smythe “Reducing ferrite tuner power loss by bias field rotation,” IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 273-275, 1983, but to our knowledge was neither tested nor built. Such a 2-directional biasing is expected to provide a reduction in RF losses for an identical tuning range as compared with the classical 1-directional magnetic bias. We have successfully tested this theory with a measurement set-up consisting of a ferrite-filled cavity, exposed to external biases that allow the clear separation of the two orientations of superposed magnetic bias fields. The outcome is an enlargement of tuning range with high cavity Q and the possibility of fast tuning. In this paper, we describe the measurement set-up and present the tuning ranges that we attained by applying different bias schemes.

Microwave spectroscopic study of the hyperfine structure of antiprotonic 3He

In this work, we describe the latest results for the measurements of the hyperfine structure of antiprotonic 3 He. Two out of four measurable super–super-hyperfine (SSHF) transition lines of the (n,L) = (36, 34) state of antiprotonic 3 He were observed. The measured frequencies of the individual transitions are 11.125 48(08) GHz and 11.157 93(13) GHz, with the increased precisions of about 43% and 25%, respectively, compared to our first measurements with antiprotonic 3 He (Friedreich et al 2011 Phys. Lett. B 700 1–6). They are less than 0.5 MHz higher with respect to the most recent theoretical values, still within their estimated errors. Although the experimental uncertainty for the difference of 0.032 45(15) GHz between these frequencies is large as compared to that of theory, its measured value also agrees with theoretical calculations. The rates for collisions between antiprotonic helium and helium atoms have been assessed through comparison with simulations, resulting in an elastic collision rate of γe = 3.41 ± 0.62 MHz and an inelastic collision rate of γi = 0.51 ± 0.07 MHz. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

The IAXO Helioscope

Cetin, Serkant Ali (Dogus Author) -- Conference full title: 7th International Symposium on Large TPCs for Low-Energy Rare Event Detection; Institute of Astroparticle Physics (APC) Campus - Paris Diderot UniversityParis; France; 15 December 2014 through 17 December 2014

RF engineering basic concepts: S-parameters

The concept of describing RF circuits in terms of waves is discussed and the S-matrix and related matrices are defined. The signal flow graph (SFG) is introduced as a graphical means to visualize how waves propagate in an RF network. The properties of the most relevant passive RF devices (hybrids, couplers, non-reciprocal elements, etc.) are delineated and the corresponding S-parameters are given. For microwave integrated circuits (MICs) planar transmission lines such as the microstrip line have become very important.