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At least 127 records · Page 7

The Mu2e Digitizer ReAdout Controller (DiRAC): characterization and radiation hardness

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will search for the neutrino-less coherent conversion of a muon into an electron in the field of a nucleus. Mu2e detectors comprise a straw tracker, an electromagnetic calorimeter and a veto for cosmic rays. The calorimeter employs 1348 Cesium Iodide crystals readout by silicon photo-multipliers and fast front-end, and digitization electronics. The digitization board is named DiRAC (Digitizer ReAdout Controller) and 140 cards are needed for the readout of the full calorimeter. The DiRACs are hosted in crates located on the external surface of calorimeter disks, inside the detector solenoid cryostat and must sustain very high radiation and magnetic field so it was necessary to fully qualify it. Several version of prototypes were validated for operation in a high-vacuum (10−4 Torr) and under a 1T magnetic field. An extensive radiation hardness qualification campaign, carried out with photons, 14 MeV neutron beams, and 200 MeV protons, certified the DiRAC design to sustain doses up to 12 Krad, neutron fluences up to ∼ 1011 1 MeV neq/cm2, and very low occurrences of single-event effects. The qualification campaigns and quality assurance procedures will be reviewed.

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Transverse emittance reduction in muon beams by ionization cooling

Accelerated muon beams have been considered for the next-generation studies of high-energy lepton–antilepton collisions and neutrino oscillations. However, high-brightness muon beams have not yet been produced. The main challenge for muon acceleration and storage stems from the large phase-space volume occupied by the beam, derived from the production mechanism of muons through the decay of pions. The phase-space volume of the muon beam can be decreased through ionization cooling. Here we show that ionization cooling leads to a reduction in the transverse emittance of muon beams that traverse lithium hydride or liquid hydrogen absorbers in the Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment. Our results represent a substantial advance towards the realization of muon-based facilities that could operate at the energy and intensity frontiers.

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Status and Challenges in the MQXFB Nb 3 Sn Quadrupoles for the HL-LHC

The inner triplet (or low-β) quadrupole magnets are among the components to be upgraded in LHC interaction regions for the HL-LHC project. The new quadrupole magnets, called MQXF, are based on Nb 3 Sn superconducting magnet technology, with a conductor peak field of 11.3 T. CERN is in charge of the fabrication of the MQXFB variant, the longest Nb 3 Sn accelerator magnets designed and manufactured up to now, with a magnetic length of 7.2 m. Two magnets, MQXFBP3 and MQXFB02, reached the HL-LHC project requirements. However, they still exhibited a limitation at 4.5 K with a phenomenology similar to the one observed on the first two prototypes. After improvements on the cold mass (longitudinal welding) and magnet assembly (elimination of overstress on the conductor during loading) procedures, a series of modifications were implemented in MQXFB03 at the level of the coil fabrication to address and/or reduce weaknesses in the coils. The magnet was tested and was the first to achieve performance requirements at both 1.9 K and 4.5 K, with no signs of conductor limitation at 4.5 K. MQXFB is now in the series production phase, with around 2/3 of the coils completed and half of the magnets assembled. We provide in this paper an overview of the MQXFB program, with a summary of the main recent achievements and an overall status of the fabrication.

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Beam loss mechanisms in the PIP-II linac and beam transfer line at Fermilab

Beam loss in high-intensity H- linacs, such as the PIP-II linac at Fermilab, is a critical challenge that requires comprehensive study and understanding to ensure efficient and safe operation. This study explores the various beam loss mechanisms encountered in the PIP-II linac and its beam transfer line, drawing parallels from other high-intensity H- linacs. Key loss mechanisms include residual gas stripping, where H- ions interact with residual gas molecules leading to electron detachment; field stripping, caused by the interaction of H- ions with magnetic fields; and intra-beam stripping, resulting from interactions within the beam itself. Beam halo formation, particularly due to Twiss function mismatch, is another significant source of beam loss, which can be exacerbated by Landau damping mechanisms. Adhering to the 1 W/m loss criterion is essential to maintain hands-on maintenance capability and ensure the longevity of the accelerator components. By understanding these mechanisms and implementing targeted mitigation strategies, the PIP-II linac can achieve its design goals while maintaining safe and efficient operations.

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Progress and challenges in traveling-wave (TW) SRF cavity

Traveling-wave (TW) technology can push the accelerator field gradient of niobium SRF cavity to 70MV/m or higher beyond the limit of 50~60MV/m in Standing-wave (SW) technology. The early stages of TW SRF cavity developments had been funded by several SBIR grants to Euclid Techlabs and completed in collaboration with Fermilab through a 1-cell prototype and a proof-of-principle 3-cell TW cavity. The TW resonance excitation in the 3-cell TW cavity at 2K was demonstrated through the low power RF test in early 2024. A high-power test of the 3-cell in TW mode being prepared. To advance a design and technology to fabricate a novel high gradient TW SRF cavity, FNAL proposed a half-meter TW RF design and R&Ds to realize that are in progress. Here we will report the recent progress in the 3-cell TW cavity and the challenges towards a half-meter scale TW cavity.

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Undulator Radiation of Single Electrons: Coherence Length and Quantum-Optical Properties

The aims of the CLARA experiment at the Fermilab Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) were to directly measure the coherence length of undulator radiation emitted by a single electron and to test whether the radiation is in a pure classical Glauber coherent state or in a quantum mixture of coherent and Fock states. We used a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) to study visible radiation generated by 150-MeV electrons circulating in the ring. The relative delay between the two arms of the MZI was adjusted by varying the length of one of them with a resolution of 10 nm. The intensity of the circulating beam spanned several orders of magnitude, down to single electrons. A pair of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) was placed at the output of the MZI arms to detect photocounts with high efficiency and timing resolution. We describe the observed interference patterns and photocount rates as a function of interferometer delay and discuss their implications.

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Wire Scanner Assessment of Transverse Beam Size in the Fermilab Side-Coupled Linac

The Fermilab Side-Coupled Linac contains seven 805 MHz modules accelerating H- beam from 116 MeV to 400 MeV. Each module contains at least one wire scanner, yielding beam intensity at positions along a transverse direction. These wire scanners each contain three wires, mounted at different angles: "X", "Y", and 45° between "X" and "Y" to analyze coupling. Recently, a significant amount of transverse X-Y coupling was identified within wire scanner data from the Side-Coupled Linac, which has been present in data from the past decade. This realization has prompted an investigation into the wire scanner's utility as a diagnostic tool in the Fermilab Linac. This work presents efforts to better characterize the wire scanners' limitations and the phenomenon occurring in the Side-Coupled Linac.

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Proposal for a Proton-Bunch Compression Experiment at IOTA in the Strong Space-Charge Regime

The longitudinal compression of intense proton bunches with strong space-charge force is an essential component of a proton-based muon source for a muon collider. This paper discusses a proton-bunch compression experiment at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring at Fermilab to explore optimal radio frequency (RF) cavity and lattice configurations. IOTA is a compact fixed-energy storage ring that can circulate a 2.5-MeV proton beam with varying beam parameters and lattice configurations. The study will aim to demonstrate a bunch-compression factor of at least 2 in the IOTA ring while examining the impact of intense space-charge effects on the compression process.

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Electron Cloud Simulations in the Fermilab Booster

As part of Fermilab's Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II), the Fermilab Booster synchrotron will operate at a higher intensity, increasing from 4.5×1012 to 6.7×1012 protons per pulse [ppp]. A potential challenge for achieving high-intensity performance arises from rapid transverse instabilities induced by electron cloud (EC). This research presents EC simulations using PyECLOUD, which is an advanced computational tool that incorporates measurements of the secondary electron yield (SEY) from the Booster's combined function magnet material. By systematically varying beam parameters in PyECLOUD, such as bunch structure, bunch length, and intensity, the EC effects on beam stability and overall performance of Booster can be predicted.

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Towards Unlocking Insights from Logbooks Using AI

Electronic logbooks contain valuable information about activities and events concerning their associated particle accelerator facilities. However, the highly technical nature of logbook entries can hinder their usability and automation. As natural language processing (NLP) continues advancing, it offers opportunities to address various challenges that logbooks present. This work explores jointly testing a tailored Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) model for enhancing the usability of particle accelerator logbooks at institutes like DESY, BESSY, Fermilab, BNL, SLAC, LBNL and CERN. The RAG model uses a corpus built on logbook contributions and aims to unlock insights from these logbooks by leveraging retrieval over facility datasets, including discussion about potential multimodal sources. Our goals are to increase the FAIR-ness (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) of logbooks by exploiting their information content to streamline everyday use, to enable macro-analysis for root cause analysis, and to facilitate problem-solving automation.

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GEANT4 Simulations on Faraday Cup Design for PIP-II Laser Wire Scanner System

The PIP-II accelerator upgrade at Fermilab represents a groundbreaking leap forward in high-energy physics research. This ambitious initiative involves enhancing Fermilab's accelerator complex by replacing the current linear accelerator with a warm front end (WFE) capable of accelerating H- beams up to 2.1 MeV. Subsequently, a superconducting linac further accelerates these beams up to 800 MeV. To precisely measure the transverse beam profile, a combination of traditional wire scanners at the WFE section and Laser wire scanners along the superconducting linac are planned for implementation. This investigation centers on refining the Faraday cup design for the PIP-II Laser wire scanners by utilizing GEANT4, a Monte Carlo simulation toolkit. Leveraging this method enables a comprehensive analysis of particle trajectories, energy deposition, secondary electron emission, backscattering, etc., facilitating optimization through adjustments to cup geometries, materials, and placement to maximize its efficiency.

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Near-Infrared Noise in Intense Electron Beams

Requirements for the noise in electron beams (NEB) have recently approached the Shot-noise level in some new applications. The density fluctuations of intense beams in the near-infrared (NIR) region are being measured at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility. The main goal of the experiment is to accurately compare the Shot-noise model with the observations of optical transition radiation (OTR) generated by a relativistic electron beam ($\gamma \approx 63$), transiting an Aluminium metal surface. In addition, some evidence for longitudinal space-charge-induced microbunching for the chicane-compressed beam was obtained with coherent enhancements up to 100 in the various bandwidth-filtered NIR OTR photodiode signals. With micropulse charges up to 1 nC, the beam parameters are close to those proposed for a stage in an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) with coherent electron cooling (CEC). In this paper we present the current progress of the NEB project and compare the low electron energy measurements with ImpactX simulations.

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Low-Alpha Operation of the IOTA Storage Ring

Operation with ultra-low momentum-compaction factor (alpha) is a desirable capability for many storage rings and synchrotron radiation sources. For example, low-alpha lattices are commonly used to produce picosecond bunches for the generation of coherent THz radiation and are the basis of a number of conceptual designs for EUV generation via steady-state microbunching (SSMB). Achieving ultra-low alpha requires not only a high-level of stability in the linear optics but also flexible control of higher-order compaction terms. Operation with lower momentum-compaction lattices has recently been investigated at the IOTA storage ring at Fermilab. Experimental results from some initial feasibility studies will be discussed in the context of ensuring an improved understanding of the IOTA optics for future research programs.

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Decoupling of Nitrogen and Oxygen Impurities in Nitrogen Doped SRF Cavities

The performance of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities is critical to enabling the next generation of efficient high-energy particle accelerators. Recent developments have focused on altering the surface impurity profile through \textit{in-situ} baking, furnace baking, and doping to introduce and diffuse beneficial impurities such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. However, the precise role and properties of each impurity are not well understood. In this work, we attempt to disentangle the role of nitrogen and oxygen impurities through time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry of niobium samples baked at temperatures varying from 75-800 $^\circ$C with and without nitrogen injection. From these results, we developed treatments recipe that decouple the effects of oxygen and nitrogen in doping treatments. Understanding how these impurities and their underlying mechanisms drive further optimization in the tailoring of impurity profiles for high-performance SRF cavities.

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Ionization Profile Monitors for the IOTA Proton Beam

Ionization profile monitors (IPMs) are widely used in accelerators for non-destructive and fast diagnostics of high energy particle beams. Two such monitors - one vertical and one horizontal - are being developed for installation in the IOTA storage ring at Fermilab. They will be used for turn-by-turn (microseconds scale) measurements of the 70 MeV/c IOTA proton beam sizes. In this paper we present the IPMs design (largely following the FNAL Booster IPMs which employ no external guiding magnetic fields), their mechanical, vacuum, and electric subsystems and DAQ, and discuss anticipated effects on the beams circulating in IOTA.

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Linac_Gen: Integrating Machine Learning and Particle-in-Cell Methods for Enhanced Beam Dynamics at Fermilab

Here, we introduce Linac_Gen, a tool developed at Fermilab, which combines machine learning algorithms with Particle-in-Cell methods to advance beam dynamics in linacs. Linac_Gen employs techniques such as Random Forest, Genetic Algorithms, Support Vector Machines, and Neural Networks, achieving a tenfold increase in speed for phase-space matching in Linacs over traditional methods, through the use of genetic algorithms. Crucially, Linac_Gen's adept handling of 3D field maps elevates the precision and realism in simulating beam instabilities and resonances, marking a key advancement in the field. Benchmarked against established codes, Linac_Gen demonstrates not only improved efficiency and precision in beam dynamics studies but also in the design and optimization of Linac systems, as evidenced in its application to Fermilab's PIP-II Linac project. This work represents a notable advancement in accelerator physics, marrying ML with PIC methods to set new standards for efficiency and accuracy in accelerator design and research. Linac_Gen exemplifies a novel approach in accelerator technology, offering substantial improvements in both theoretical and practical aspects of beam dynamics.

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Sextupole Misalignment and Defect Identification and Remediation in IOTA

The nonlinear integrable optics studies at the integrable optics test accelerator (IOTA) demand fine control of the chromaticity using sextupole magnets. During the last experimental run undesirable misalignments and multipole composition in some sextupole magnets impacted operations. This report outlines the beam-based methods used to identify the nature of the misalignments and defects, and the subsequent magnetic measurements and remediation of the magnets for future runs.

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Proton Beam Dynamics in Bare IOTA with Intense Space-Charge

We are commissioning a 2.5~MeV proton beam for the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator at Fermilab, allowing experiments in the strong space-charge regime with incoherent betatron tune shifts nearing 0.5. Accurate modelling of space-charge dynamics is vital for understanding planned experiments. We compare anticipated emittance growth and beam loss in the bare IOTA configuration using transverse space-charge models in Xsuite, PyORBIT, and MAD-X simulation codes. Our findings reveal agreement within 30\% in core phase-space density predictions up to 100~synchrotron periods at moderate beam currents, while tail distributions and beam loss show significant differences.

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