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The ELENA facility.
Wolfgang Bartmann1, Pavel Belochitskii1, Horst Breuker1
1CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland.
Summary
The Extra Low Energy Antiproton ring (ELENA) project at CERN successfully decelerates antiprotons to lower energies. This advancement enhances antiproton capture efficiency for existing experiments and enables new research possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Particle Physics
- Accelerator Physics
Background:
- The CERN Antiproton Decelerator (AD) provides antiproton beams at 5.3 MeV, the lowest achievable energy under optimal conditions.
- Existing experiments require lower antiproton beam energies for improved performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Extra Low Energy Antiproton ring (ELENA) designed for further antiproton deceleration.
- To detail ELENA's role in reducing antiproton kinetic energy from 5.3 MeV to 100 keV.
- To highlight the expected benefits for antiproton physics experiments.
Main Methods:
- ELENA, a synchrotron with a smaller circumference, is used for controlled antiproton deceleration.
- An electron cooler is integrated to reduce beam emittances in all three planes.
- Commissioning of the ELENA ring is currently underway.
Main Results:
- The ELENA ring is designed to decrease antiproton energy significantly, from 5.3 MeV to 100 keV.
- Electron cooling will reduce antiproton beam emittances, improving beam quality.
- The project aims to increase antiproton capture efficiencies for current experiments.
Conclusions:
- ELENA will enable substantial increases in antiproton capture efficiency for existing experiments.
- The project will facilitate new and previously impossible antiproton physics research.
- First beams for a new experiment are anticipated in 2017, with transfer lines to existing experiments planned for 2019-2020.
