Tuning methods for multigap drift tube linacs

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Accelerator Physics

Background:

• Multigap cavities are crucial for linear accelerators, enabling particle velocities up to relativistic speeds.
• Calculating output beam parameters in these structures is complex due to the absence of closed-form solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for predicting output beam parameters from multigap cavities.
• To enable precise control over beam energy and energy spread in linear accelerators.

Main Methods:

• Integration of the first and second moments of the beam distribution.
• Utilizing axially symmetric, time-dependent cavity fields for calculations.
• Beam-based calibration linking electric field scaling to radiofrequency (RF) amplitudes.

Main Results:

• A fast online method for adjusting beam energy and energy spread was developed.
• The method provides necessary cavity amplitude and phase for desired beam parameters.
• Validation was performed using 23Na6+ beam energy measurements.

Conclusions:

• The proposed integration method accurately models multigap cavity performance.
• This approach facilitates rapid and precise beam energy control in accelerators.
• The technique is experimentally validated, showing practical applicability.