Engineering topics

Severino, F

Publications and source records attributed to Severino, F.

10 records

DOE OSTI2011

RHIC performance for FY2011 Au+Au heavy ion run

Following the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 (Run-10) Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) Au+Au run, RHIC experiment upgrades sought to improve detector capabilities. In turn, accelerator improvements were made to improve the luminosity available to the experiments for this run (Run-11). These improvements included: a redesign of the stochastic cooling systems for improved reliability; a relocation of 'common' RF cavities to alleviate intensity limits due to beam loading; and an improved usage of feedback systems to control orbit, tune and coupling during energy ramps as well as while colliding at top energy. We present an overview of changes to the Collider and review the performance of the collider with respect to instantaneous and integrated luminosity goals. At the conclusion of the FY 2011 polarized proton run, preparations for heavy ion run proceeded on April 18, with Au+Au collisions continuing through June 28. Our standard operations at 100 GeV/nucleon beam energy was bracketed by two shorter periods of collisions at lower energies (9.8 and 13.5 GeV/nucleon), continuing a previously established program of low and medium energy runs. Table 1 summarizes our history of heavy ion operations at RHIC.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Commissioning and performance of the BNL EBIS LLRF system

The Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) LLRF system utilizes the RHIC LLRF upgrade platform to achieve the required functionality and flexibility. The LLRF system provides drive to the EBIS high-level RF system, employs I-Q feedback to provide required amplitude and phase stability, and implements a cavity resonance control scheme. The embedded system provides the interface to the existing Controls System, making remote system control and diagnostics possible. The flexibility of the system allows us to reuse VHDL codes, develop new functionalities, improve current designs, and implement new features with relative ease. In this paper, we will discuss the commissioning process, issues encountered, and performance of the system.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

A deterministic, gigabit serial timing, synchronization and data link for the RHIC LLRF

A critical capability of the new RHIC low level rf (LLRF) system is the ability to synchronize signals across multiple locations. The 'Update Link' provides this functionality. The 'Update Link' is a deterministic serial data link based on the Xilinx RocketIO protocol that is broadcast over fiber optic cable at 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). The link provides timing events and data packets as well as time stamp information for synchronizing diagnostic data from multiple sources. The new RHIC LLRF was designed to be a flexible, modular system. The system is constructed of numerous independent RF Controller chassis. To provide synchronization among all of these chassis, the Update Link system was designed. The Update Link system provides a low latency, deterministic data path to broadcast information to all receivers in the system. The Update Link system is based on a central hub, the Update Link Master (ULM), which generates the data stream that is distributed via fiber optic links. Downstream chassis have non-deterministic connections back to the ULM that allow any chassis to provide data that is broadcast globally.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

A high performance DAC /DDS daughter module for the RHIC LLRF platform

The RHIC LLRF upgrade is a flexible, modular system. Output signals are generated by a custom designed XMC card with 4 high speed digital to analog (DAC) converters interfaced to a high performance field programmable gate array (FPGA). This paper discusses the hardware details of the XMC DAC board as well as the implementation of a low noise rf synthesizer with digital IQ modulation. This synthesizer also provides injection phase cogging and frequency hop rebucketing capabilities. A new modular RHIC LLRF system was recently designed and commissioned based on custom designed XMC cards. As part of that effort a high speed, four channel DAC board was designed. The board uses Maxim MAX5891 16 bit DACs with a maximum update rate of 600 Msps. Since this module is intended to be used for many different systems throughout the Collider Accelerator complex, it was designed to be as generic as possible. One major application of this DAC card is to implement digital synthesizers to provide drive signals to the various cavities at RHIC. Since RHIC is a storage ring with stores that typically last many hours, extremely low RF noise is a critical requirement. Synchrotron frequencies at RHIC range from a few hertz to several hundred hertz depending on the species and point in the acceleration cycle so close in phase noise is a major concern. The RHIC LLRF system uses the Update Link, a deterministic, high speed data link that broadcasts the revolution frequency and the synchronous phase angle. The digital synthesizers use this data to generate a properly phased analog drive signal. The synthesizers must also provide smooth phase shifts for cogging and support frequency shift rebucketing. One additional feature implemented in the FPGA is a digital waveform generator (WFG) that generates I and Q data pairs based on a user selected amplitude and phase profile as a function of time.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

A bunch to bucket phase detector for the RHIC LLRF upgrade platform

As part of the overall development effort for the RHIC LLRF Upgrade Platform [1,2,3], a generic four channel 16 bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) daughter module was developed to provide high speed, wide dynamic range digitizing and processing of signals from DC to several hundred megahertz. The first operational use of this card was to implement the bunch to bucket phase detector for the RHIC LLRF beam control feedback loops. This paper will describe the design and performance features of this daughter module as a bunch to bucket phase detector, and also provide an overview of its place within the overall LLRF platform architecture as a high performance digitizer and signal processing module suitable to a variety of applications. In modern digital control and signal processing systems, ADCs provide the interface between the analog and digital signal domains. Once digitized, signals are then typically processed using algorithms implemented in field programmable gate array (FPGA) logic, general purpose processors (GPPs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or a combination of these. For the recently developed and commissioned RHIC LLRF Upgrade Platform, we've developed a four channel ADC daughter module based on the Linear Technology LTC2209 16 bit, 160 MSPS ADC and the Xilinx V5FX70T FPGA. The module is designed to be relatively generic in application, and with minimal analog filtering on board, is capable of processing signals from DC to 500 MHz or more. The module's first application was to implement the bunch to bucket phase detector (BTB-PD) for the RHIC LLRF system. The same module also provides DC digitizing of analog processed BPM signals used by the LLRF system for radial feedback.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Commissioning results from the recently upgraded RHIC LLRF system

During RHIC Run 10, the first phase of the LLRF Upgrade was successfully completed. This involved replacing the aging VME based system with a modern digital system based on the recently developed RHIC LLRF Upgrade Platform, and commissioning the system as part of the normal RHIC start up process. At the start of Run 11, the second phase of the upgrade is underway, involving a significant expansion of both hardware and functionality. This paper will review the commissioning effort and provide examples of improvements in system performance, flexibility and scalability afforded by the new platform. The RHIC LLRF upgrade is based on the recently developed RHIC LLRF Upgrade Platform. The major design goals of the platform are: (1) Design a stand alone, generic, digital, modular control architecture which can be configured to satisfy all of the application demands we currently have, and which will be supportable and upgradeable into the foreseeable future; and (2) It should integrate seamlessly into existing controls infrastructure, be easy to deploy, provide access to all relevant control parameters (eliminate knobs), provide vastly improved diagnostic data capabilities, and permit remote reconfiguration. Although the system is still in its infancy, we think the initial commissioning results from RHIC indicate that these goals have been achieved, and that we've only begun to realize the benefits the platform provides.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Concept and architecture of the RHIC LLRF upgrade platform

The goal of the RHIC LLRF upgrade has been the development of a stand alone, generic, high performance, modular LLRF control platform, which can be configured to replace existing systems and serve as a common platform for all new RF systems. The platform is also designed to integrate seamlessly into a distributed network based controls infrastructure, be easy to deploy, and to be useful in a variety of digital signal processing and data acquisition roles. Reuse of hardware, software and firmware has been emphasized to minimize development effort and maximize commonality of system components. System interconnection, synchronization and scaling are facilitated by a deterministic, high speed serial timing and data link, while standard intra and inter chassis communications utilize high speed, non-deterministic protocol based serial links. System hardware configuration is modular and flexible, based on a combination of a main carrier board which can host up to six custom or commercial daughter modules as required to implement desired functionality. This paper will provide an overview of the platform concept, architecture, features and benefits. The RHIC LLRF Upgrade Platform has been developed with the goal of providing a flexible, modular and scalable architecture which will support our current applications and satisfy new ones for the foreseeable future. The platform has been recently commissioned at both RHIC and the RHIC EBIS injector. To date the platform has demonstrated its versatility and utility, meeting the design goals as originally defined.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Medium energy heavy ion operations at RHIC

As part of the search for a phase transition or critical point on the QCD phase diagram, an energy scan including 5 different energy settings was performed during the 2010 RHIC heavy ion run. While the top beam energy for heavy ions is at 100 GeV/n and the lowest achieved energy setpoint was significantly below RHICs injection energy of approximately 10 GeV/n, we also provided beams for data taking in a medium energy range above injection energy and below top beam energy. This paper reviews RHIC experience and challenges for RHIC medium energy operations that produced full experimental data sets at beam energies of 31.2 GeV/n and 19.5 GeV/n. The medium energy AuAu run covered two beam energies, both above the RHIC injection energy of 9.8 GeV but well below the standard store energy of 100 GeV (see table 1). The low energy and full energy runs with heavy ions in FY10 are summarized in [1] and [2]. Stochastic Cooling ([3]) was only used for 100 GeV beams and not used in the medium energy run. The efficiency of the transition from 100 GeV operation to 31.2 GeV and then to 19.5 GeV was remarkable. Setup took 32 h and 19 h respectively for the two energy settings. The time in store, defined to be the percentage of time RHIC provides beams in physics conditions versus calendar time, was approximately 52% for the entire FY10 heavy ion run. In both medium energy runs it was well above this average, 68% for 31.5 GeV and 82% for 19.5 GeV. For both energies RHIC was filled with 111 bunches with 1.2 10{sup 9} and 1.3 10{sup 9} ions per bunch respectively.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2011

RHIC Polarized proton operation

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) operation as the polarized proton collider presents unique challenges since both luminosity(L) and spin polarization(P) are important. With longitudinally polarized beams at the experiments, the figure of merit is LP{sup 4}. A lot of upgrades and modifications have been made since last polarized proton operation. A 9 MHz rf system is installed to improve longitudinal match at injection and to increase luminosity. The beam dump was upgraded to increase bunch intensity. A vertical survey of RHIC was performed before the run to get better magnet alignment. The orbit control is also improved this year. Additional efforts are put in to improve source polarization and AGS polarization transfer efficiency. To preserve polarization on the ramp, a new working point is chosen such that the vertical tune is near a third order resonance. The overview of the changes and the operation results are presented in this paper. Siberian snakes are essential tools to preserve polarization when accelerating polarized beams to higher energy. At the same time, the higher order resonances still can cause polarization loss. As seen in RHIC, the betatron tune has to be carefully set and maintained on the ramp and during the store to avoid polarization loss. In addition, the orbit control is also critical to preserve polarization. The higher polarization during this run comes from several improvements over last run. First we have a much better orbit on the ramp. The orbit feedback brings down the vertical rms orbit error to 0.1mm, much better than the 0.5mm last run. With correct BPM offset and vertical realignment, this rms orbit error is indeed small. Second, the jump quads in the AGS improved input polarization for RHIC. Third, the vertical tune was pushed further away from 7/10 snake resonance. The tune feedback maintained the tune at the desired value through the ramp. To calibrate the analyzing power of RHIC polarimeters at any energy above injection, the polarized hydrogen jet target runs for every fill with both beams. Based on the known analyzing power, there is very little polarization loss between injection and 100 GeV. An alternative way is to measure the asymmetry at 100 GeV followed by ramping up to 250 GeV and back down to 100 GeV and then to measure the asymmetry again at 100 GeV. If the asymmetry after the down ramp is similar to the measurement before the up ramp, polarization was also preserved during the ramp to 250 GeV. The analyzing power at storage energy can then be extracted from the asymmetries measured at 100 GeV and 250 GeV. The tune and orbit feedbacks are essential for the down ramp to be possible. The polarized proton operation is still going on. We will push bunch intensity higher until reaching the beam-beam limit. The even higher intensity will have to wait for the electron lenses to compensate the beam-beam effect. To understand the details of spin dynamics in RHIC with two snakes, spin simulation with the real magnet fields have been developed recently. The study will provide guidance for possible polarization loss schemes. Further polarization gain will requires a polarized source upgrade; more careful setup jump quads in the AGS to get full benefit; and control emittance in the whole accelerator chain.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2011

RHIC spin flipper AC dipole controller

The RHIC Spin Flipper's five high-Q AC dipoles which are driven by a swept frequency waveform require precise control of phase and amplitude during the sweep. This control is achieved using FPGA based feedback controllers. Multiple feedback loops are used to and dynamically tune the magnets. The current implementation and results will be presented. Work on a new spin flipper for RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) incorporating multiple dynamically tuned high-Q AC-dipoles has been developed for RHIC spin-physics experiments. A spin flipper is needed to cancel systematic errors by reversing the spin direction of the two colliding beams multiple times during a store. The spin flipper system consists of four DC-dipole magnets (spin rotators) and five AC-dipole magnets. Multiple AC-dipoles are needed to localize the driven coherent betatron oscillation inside the spin flipper. Operationally the AC-dipoles form two swept frequency bumps that minimize the effect of the AC-dipole dipoles outside of the spin flipper. Both AC bumps operate at the same frequency, but are phase shifted from each other. The AC-dipoles therefore require precise control over amplitude and phase making the implementation of the AC-dipole controller the central challenge.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗