T. Suwada

The KEKB injector linac

Abstract An 8-GeV electron/3.5-GeV positron injector for KEKB was completed in 1998 by upgrading the existing 2.5-GeV electron/positron linac. The main goals were to upgrade its accelerating energy from 2.5 to 8 GeV and to increase the positron intensity by about 20 times. This article describes not only the composition and features of the upgraded linac, but also how these goals were achieved, by focusing on an optics design and commissioning issues concerning especially high-intensity single-bunch acceleration to produce positron beams.

Experimental study of positron production from a W single crystal by the KEK 8-GeV electron linac beam

Abstract We have measured the positron production efficiency from tungsten single-crystal targets using an 8 GeV electron beam. A single-bunch beam with a bunch width of 10 ps, a repetition rate of 2 Hz, and an intensity of 0.2 nC/bunch was incident on a target mounted on a precision goniometer. Positrons produced in the forward direction were detected by a magnetic spectrometer in the 10–20 MeV/c momentum range. Systematic data on the target-thickness dependence and the momentum distribution of the produced positrons were obtained for crystal targets. The results show that, when the crystal axis 〈1 1 1〉 is aligned to the electron beam direction, the positron yield increases compared to the amorphous case by factors of 6.5, 3.4 and 2.3 at 10 MeV/c for 2.2, 5.3 and 9.0 mm thick crystals, respectively. We observed that the positron yield from the 9.0 mm thick crystal is larger than the maximum yield attainable with 18–20 mm thick amorphous targets at 8 GeV.

Beam monitor utilizing transition radiation

Beam monitors utilizing electromagnetic waves, especially visible light radiated by charged particles, have several excellent features for beam diagnostics in accelerators: they are essentially free from environmental electromagnetic noise and are characterized by a high-speed time response. A beam monitor based on transition radiation is one of the most promising monitors concerning positions, sizes, emittance, energy and time structures of bunches for high-intensity, short-pulse beams. We started to develop beam monitors utilizing transition radiation for the beam diagnostics of high-intensity electron beams. Bunch-length measurements were performed at the KEK 2.5-GeV linac with this monitor and a streak-camera system.<<ETX>>

Time resolution of a large area planar spark counter

Abstract A planar spark counter of size 1.0 m × 0.1 m has been developed and tested. The constituent elements are a semiconductive glass anode and a window float-cast glass cathode coated by vacuum-deposited copper. The distance between electrodes is 200 μm. A single counter time resolution of 61 ps was achieved with cosmic rays.

New analysis and performance of a wall-current monitor

Abstract A new wall-current monitor has been developed in order to reinforce the beam-monitoring system in the PF 2.5-GeV linac for the KEK B-Factory. A prototype monitor was tested for its performance and characteristics. The experimental results in terms of both bench tests and beam tests by single-bunch electron beams were analyzed on the basis of equivalent-circuit models. The frequency response of the monitor agreed well with a lumped equivalent-circuit model for both time- and frequency-domain measurements. The position dependence and its frequency characteristics of the monitor also agreed well with a distributed equivalent-circuit model for both time- and frequency-domain measurements. The rise time of the monitor was about 3 ns, which indicated a poor response for short-pulse beams (

Propagation and stability characteristics of a 500-m-long laser-based fiducial line for high-precision alignment of long-distance linear accelerators

A laser-based alignment system with a He-Ne laser has been newly developed in order to precisely align accelerator units at the KEKB injector linac. The laser beam was first implemented as a 500-m-long fiducial straight line for alignment measurements. We experimentally investigated the propagation and stability characteristics of the laser beam passing through laser pipes in vacuum. The pointing stability at the last fiducial point was successfully obtained with the transverse displacements of ±40 μm level in one standard deviation by applying a feedback control. This pointing stability corresponds to an angle of ±0.08 μrad. This report contains a detailed description of the experimental investigation for the propagation and stability characteristics of the laser beam in the laser-based alignment system for long-distance linear accelerators.

Development of an intense positron source using a crystal-amorphous hybrid target for linear colliders

In a conventional positron source driven by a few GeV electron beam, a high amount of heat is loaded into a positron converter target to generate intense positrons required by linear colliders, and which would eventually damage the converter target. A hybrid target, composed of a single crystal target as a radiator of intense gamma–rays, and an amorphous converter target placed downstream of the crystal, was proposed as a scheme which could overcome the problem. This paper describes the development of an intense positron source with the hybrid target. A series of experiments on positron generation with the hybrid target has been carried out with a 8–GeV electron beam at the KEKB linac. We observed that positron yield from the hybrid target increased when the incident electron beam was aligned to the crystal axis and exceeded the one from the conventional target with the converter target of the same thickness, when its thickness is less than about 2 radiation length. The measurements in the temperature rise of the amorphous converter target was successfully carried out by use of thermocouples. These results lead to establishment to the evaluation of the hybrid target as an intense positron source.

New beam-charge interlock system for radiation safety at the KEKB injector linac.

A new beam-charge interlock system is under development for radiation safety and machine protection at the KEKB injector linac. A hardware-based interlock system is required instead of the present software-based interlock system in order to boost its reliability. This system restricts the integrated amount of beam charges delivered to four different storage rings. The beam charges are measured using wall-current monitors and detection electronics at six locations along the linac. The detection electronics independently transmits a beam-abort request through a twisted hardwire cable directly to the safety control system of the linac, when the integrated amount of beam charges exceeds a certain threshold level prescribed for each location. We describe the characteristics and performance of the new beam-charge interlock system along with the details of the experimental tests.

R & D status of C-band accelerator unit for SUPERKEKB

In an extensive luminosity upgrade of the KEK-B factory, considered as a future plan, the injector linac has to increase the positron acceleration energy from 3.5 GeV to 8.0 GeV. In order to double the acceleration field (from 21 to 42 MV/m), a design study of the C-band accelerating unit has been started. This paper reports on the R & D status of the C-band components for a high-power test and for a beam-acceleration test at the KEKB injector linac.

Present status and beam-stability issues of the KEKB injector linac

The KEKB injector linac was completely upgraded for the KEK B-Factory (KEKB) project in March, 1998. Many difficulties have been overcome during the elaborate commissioning of the upgraded linac since the end of 1997. The 3.5-GeV positron and 8-GeV electron beams have been injected to the KEKB rings with good performance. Much effort has also been continuing to stabilize the intensity and quality of the beams. Some experimental results on the beam stability issues am shown together with the recent operation status in this report. A beam test on a new scheme of a two-bunch injection was started in order to increase the positron intensity since March, 2001.