Stephen D. Holmes

Overview of the Tevatron collider complex: goals, operations and performance

For more than two decades the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider was the centerpiece of the worlds high energy physics program. The collider was arguably one of the most complex research instruments ever to reach the operation stage and is widely recognized for numerous physics discoveries and for many technological breakthroughs. In this article we outline the historical background that led to the construction of the Tevatron Collider, the strategy applied to evolution of performance goals over the Tevatrons operational history, and briefly describe operations of each accelerator in the chain and achieved performance.

The Legacy of the Tevatron in the Area of Accelerator Science

For more than 25 years, the Tevatron was the highest-energy accelerator in the world. It provided the first access to particle collisions beyond 1 TeV and achieved an ultimate performance that was a factor of 400 beyond the original design goals. This article reviews the many formidable challenges that were overcome, and the knowledge gained, in building, operating, and improving the Tevatron during its lifetime. These challenges included the first operation of an accelerator based on superconducting magnets; production of antiprotons in sufficient numbers to support a usable luminosity; management of beam–beam, intrabeam, and other collective effects; novel manipulations of the beam longitudinal phase space; and development and application of a wide variety of innovative technologies. These achievements established the legacy of the Tevatron as the progenitor of all subsequently constructed high-energy hadron colliders.

High rate drift chambers

Fermilab experiment 690, a study of target dissociation reactions pp + pX using an 800 GeVlc proton beam and a liquid hydrogen target, collected data in late 1991. The incident beam and 600-800 GeV/c scattered protons were measured using a system of six 6” x 4” and two 15” x 8” pressurized drift chambers spaced over 260 meters. These chambers provided precise measurements at rates above 10 MHz (2 MHz per centimeter of sense wire). The measurement resolution of the smaller chambers was 90 urn, and the resolution of the larger chambers was 125 pm. Construction details and performance results, including radiation damage, are presented.

Pion-pion correlations at low relative momentum produced in p-p collisions at 27.5 GeV/c.

We have measured the momentum correlation of pion pairs produced in the collisions of 27.5 GeV/[ital c] protons in liquid hydrogen. By considering events for which all final state particles have been measured, we have succeeded in reducing backgrounds due to particle misidentification below 5% for [pi][sup +] and 1% for [pi][sup [minus]]. Our use of a precision magnetic spectrometer has provided an accurate determination of particle momenta and excellent acceptance for particle pairs with small relative momentum essential for correlations studies. A large data sample of fully reconstructed events (1[times]10[sup 6]) allows us to analyze the correlations for [pi][sup +][pi][sup +] and [pi][sup [minus]][pi][sup [minus]] pairs separately, and also as a function of the final state multiplicity. We find that the pion pair correlations scale 0.98 fm describes the data well. We do not find any indication of multiplicity dependence of the correlation scale for multiplicities from 6 to 14 final state particles.

A new technique for on-line and off-line high speed computation

A novel technique for both online and offline computation is presented. With this technique, a reconstruction analysis in elementary particle physics, otherwise prohibitively long, has been accomplished. It will be used online in an upcoming Fermilab experiment to reconstruct more than 100000 events per second and to trigger on the basis of that information. The technique delivers 40 gigaoperations per second, has a bandwidth on the order of gigabytes per second, and has a modest cost. An overview of the program, details of the system, and performance measurements are presented. >

A Pulsed Septum Magnet for the Fermilab Antiproton Source

A 2 meter curved pulsed septum magnet for use in the Fermilab Antiproton Source is described. The magnet produces a peak field of 6 kGauss at a current of 20,000 Amperes within a 0.4 msec long pulse. The field uniformity obtained is AB/B<0.2% out to 3.8 cm from the copper septum. Power enters the magnet from the center resulting in very simple ends and the magnet incorporates a 0.5 cm steel guard which reduces the field to <1.4 Gauss in the zero-field region. The total septum thickness is 1.3 cm. The vacuum enclosure doubles as the stacking fixture for the magnet laminations allowing easy assembly of a magnet with a 50 m radius of curvature.

Pion-pion correlations at low relative momentum produced in [ital p]-[ital p] collisions at 27. 5 GeV/[ital c]

We have measured the momentum correlation of pion pairs produced in the collisions of 27.5 GeV/[ital c] protons in liquid hydrogen. By considering events for which all final state particles have been measured, we have succeeded in reducing backgrounds due to particle misidentification below 5% for [pi][sup +] and 1% for [pi][sup [minus]]. Our use of a precision magnetic spectrometer has provided an accurate determination of particle momenta and excellent acceptance for particle pairs with small relative momentum essential for correlations studies. A large data sample of fully reconstructed events (1[times]10[sup 6]) allows us to analyze the correlations for [pi][sup +][pi][sup +] and [pi][sup [minus]][pi][sup [minus]] pairs separately, and also as a function of the final state multiplicity. We find that the pion pair correlations scale 0.98 fm describes the data well. We do not find any indication of multiplicity dependence of the correlation scale for multiplicities from 6 to 14 final state particles.

The TEV I Beam Position Monitor System

The TeV I Beam Position Monitor System is described. This system is designed to provide accurate orbit information during both the commissioning and operational phases of the Fermilab Antiproton Source. The system is required to provide position information with submillimeter resolution for both single turn orbit measurements with beam intensities in the range 1×109 to 1×1011, and multiple turn (closed orbit) measurements with beam intensities in the range 1×107 to 5×1011. The system has already been used during commissioning of the Debuncher to measure the first turn through the ring, the horizontal and vertical betatron tunes, the closed orbit, the dispersion, aperture, and chromaticity. During normal antiproton operation the system will be used to monitor beam position throughout the accumulation process.

High speed simultaneous measurement of pulse area and time-of-flight for photomultiplier signals

Abstract A modular system to provide high speed simultaneous measurements of pulse area and time-of-flight for photomultiplier signals is described. By requiring a minimum pulse size and a time-of-flight signal within a gate before recording either measurement, the system achieves several advantages over other techniques. In particular, since no time is wasted reading channels without useful information, readout speed is enhanced. The system permits accurate measurements at rates exceeding 10 MHz per channel and can be read out without excessive dead time at rates up to approximately 100 kHz. Data storage problems are also reduced. Both pulse area and time-of-flight are measured using 128 bins (7 bits). Costs are less than

Low Energy Aspects of Circular Accelerators

40 US per channel. Other advantages and design features are discussed.