Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Particle accelerators”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

EUV FEL light source based on energy recovery linac with on-orbit laser plasma injection

We report on a week-long study of a conceptual design of EUV FEL light source based on an energy recovery linac with on-orbit laser plasma accelerator injection scheme. We carried out this study during USPAS Summer 2023 session of Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers and Plasma applying the art of inventiveness TRIZ. An ultrashort Ti-sapphire laser accelerates electron beams from a gas target with mean energy of 20 MeV, which are then ramped up to 1 GeV in a five-turn scheme with a series of fixed field alternating magnets and two superconducting RF cavities (100 MeV per cavity per turn). The electron beam is then bypassed to an undulator line optimized to generate EUV light of 13.5 nm at kW level in a single pass.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

AUP First Pre-Series Cryo-Assembly Design Production and Test Overview

New high field and large-aperture quadrupole magnets for the low-beta inner triplets (Q1, Q2, Q3) have been built and tested as part of the high-luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). These new quadrupole magnets are based on Nb3Sn superconducting technology. The US Accelerator Upgrade Project (US-AUP) is producing the Q1 and Q3 Cryo-Assemblies: a pair of ~5 m long magnet structures installed in a stainless-steel helium vessel (Cold Mass) and surrounded by cryostat shields, piping, and a vacuum vessel. In conclusion, this paper gives an overview of the design, production, and the results of the horizontal test of the first pre-series Q1/Q3 Cryo-Assembly.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

U.S. Research Impact Alliance IMPACT Accelerator

The U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA) was created with a vision to leverage successful models that accelerate technology development and commercialization, and support startup businesses based upon federal research investments. Building upon lessons learned and feedback from cohort teams, the USRIA programs have morphed into customized solutions that offer services which provide the most impact to startup businesses. Based upon discussions with small and startup businesses, entrepreneurs, and technology developers, a variety of resources have been developed to support each of these target audiences. USRIA created program differentiators to offer one-on-one engagement and direct communication with cohort teams, highly relevant conversations with targeted introductions, and minimal “class” time (only used when an issue is applicable to all cohort members).

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Bayesian optimization algorithms for accelerator physics

Accelerator physics relies on numerical algorithms to solve optimization problems in online accelerator control and tasks such as experimental design and model calibration in simulations. The effectiveness of optimization algorithms in discovering ideal solutions for complex challenges with limited resources often determines the problem complexity these methods can address. The accelerator physics community has recognized the advantages of Bayesian optimization algorithms, which leverage statistical surrogate models of objective functions to effectively address complex optimization challenges, especially in the presence of noise during accelerator operation and in resource-intensive physics simulations. In this review article, we offer a conceptual overview of applying Bayesian optimization techniques toward solving optimization problems in accelerator physics. We begin by providing a straightforward explanation of the essential components that make up Bayesian optimization techniques. We then give an overview of current and previous work applying and modifying these techniques to solve accelerator physics challenges. Finally, we explore practical implementation strategies for Bayesian optimization algorithms to maximize their performance, enabling users to effectively address complex optimization challenges in real-time beam control and accelerator design. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Simulation study of high-current 7 Li 3+ beam acceleration with laser ion source and RFQ linac using direct plasma injection

Accelerator-based neutron sources (ABNS) utilizing the 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be reaction in inverse kinematics offer strong forward-directed neutron emission, making them attractive for compact and clean neutron source with low background neutrons and unwanted radiation. However, practical use of such systems requires lithium ion beam currents that exceed the capability of conventional ion accelerators by two orders of magnitude. In this study, we numerically designed and evaluated a high-current acceleration system based on a direct plasma injection scheme (DPIS), combining a laser ion source (LIS) and a radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac. The ion extraction optics and RFQ entrance were optimized using IGUN, OPERA, and GPT, demonstrating that over 1.2 A-class beam current can be injected into the RFQ. The RFQ structure was designed under realistic engineering constraints including surface field strength (Kilpatrick factor) and RF power. GPT simulations showed that a 370 mA 7 Li 3+ beam can be successfully accelerated within a ±10 % energy spread. To validate downstream compatibility, we also designed a simplified medium-energy beam transport (MEBT) section and an interdigital H-type (IH) linac, confirming successful acceleration of a 320 mA beam to the total energy of 14 MeV. These results support the feasibility of the DPIS and RFQ approach as a promising solution for compact neutron sources and other high-intensity ion beam applications.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Intrabeam scattering studies with large-emittance-ratio ion beams in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and implications for the Electron-Ion Collider

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), to be constructed at Brookhaven National Laboratory, will collide polarized, high-energy electron beams with hadron beams, achieving peak luminosities of up to 1.0 x 10 34 cm -2 s -1 . To reach such high luminosity, the EIC will employ flat-beam collisions at the interaction point. The design transverse emittance ratio will be about 10:1 in the Hadron Storage Ring (HSR). Thanks to stochastic cooling and precise decoupling, we successfully generated and accelerated gold ion beams with a large emittance ratio of 11:1 in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). In this article, we present results of intrabeam scattering (IBS) measurements and modeling for large-emittance gold ion beams, both without and with controlled betatron coupling. To model the IBS growth, we use the formulas developed by Lebedev and Nagaitsev.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress of the laser ion source upgrade (LION2) for RHIC and NSRL program at Brookhaven National Laboratory

At Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the LION2 ion source is being constructed to replace an existing laser ion ablation ion source (LIS) at the EBIS facility, which provides heavy ion beams of multiple ion species for the operation of NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) and Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The LION1 ion source currently provides singly charged ions of Li, B, C, O, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zr, Nb, Ag, Tb, Ta, W, Au, Bi, and Th with a rapid-species-change capability. An electron beam ion source, Extended-EBIS captures, confines, and ionizes the ions to high charge state, suitable for injection and acceleration by an RFQ accelerator. Typically, single pulses of the LIS ion species for NSRL are changed sequentially during Galactic Cosmic Ray experiments, while multiple pulses of a given ion beam are provided quasi-simultaneously for RHIC. LION2 will have the same capability of the rapid-species-change with improved beam performance and reliability. LION2 is being constructed in a remote assembly location and is expected to finish in December 2023. The removal of LION1 and installation of LION2 is planned during the December 2023 or summer 2024 shutdown.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Broadband Mechanically Tuned Superconducting Cavity Design Suitable for the Fermilab Main Injector

Radio Frequency superconductivity has been a mainstay of accelerator science for decades. However, its benefits have yet to be applied to proton synchrotrons with demanding tuning requirements. For example, the Main Injector (MI), Fermilab's high-energy proton synchrotron, currently utilizes 20+ ferrite-loaded cavities for a targeted 1.2 s acceleration cycle. Harnessing the extremely high gradients associated with superconductivity, the required number of cavities could be reduced by an order of magnitude, dramatically lowering operational power requirements even with cryogenic considerations. Additionally, the current plans for the Fermilab accelerator complex evolution initiative involve almost doubling the number of cavities in MI if the same designs are to be used, further highlighting the potential benefits of superconductivity. These advantages are attractive, but to date, no tunable superconducting cavity suitable for MI has been proposed due to the incompatibility of conventional broadband tuning methods with superconductivity. Here, we present a tunable superconducting cavity concept capable of record-breaking performance. Tuning will be accomplished by using high-speed linear actuators to vary the insertion depth of metallic plungers into the cavity volume. This tuning concept is theoretically viable with currently available technology and will be fully compatible with a superconducting cavity.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

An Induction-Type Septum Magnet for the Hadron and Electron Injection of the EIC Complex

The design of the electron Ion Collider (EIC) project is under way to be built at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) with the collaboration of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF). The Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) which is part of the EIC accelerator complex will accelerate the electron beam up to 18 GeV, and the beam will be injected into the Electron Storage Ring (ESR) to collide with the hadron beam circulating in the Hadron Storage Ring (HSR) which is a modified version of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). All three synchrotrons will be located in the same tunnel. This technical note provides information on the latest electromagnetic design of the induction-type septum magnet which will be employed by EIC to Inject the beam into the HSR and RCS and also extract the beam from the RCS.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measured vs. Calculated Dose Rates During Ring Injection Dump Replacement

One of the most irradiated Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accelerator components is the ring injection dump (RID), which is located downstream of the accumulator ring injection section. The unstripped and only partially stripped H - beam, about 5% of the full SNS beam current, is discarded in the injection into the accumulator ring and is redirected to the RID. According to the accelerator operation plan, the beam stop and the window assemblies of the existing RID are removed and replaced when they have reached their end-of-life owing to radiation exposure. This procedure, which includes multiple steps, took place during a facility maintenance period in March 2023. To support work planning and meet as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) requirements during removal and exchange of the components, dose rates were calculated for each stage of the exchange operation. During each stage, dose rates were measured before and after work. This comparison shows that measured dose rates are within a factor of 2 of the predicted (calculated) dose rates.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Data-driven gradient optimization for field emission management in a superconducting radio-frequency linac

Field emission can cause significant problems in superconducting radio-frequency linear accelerators (linacs). When cavity gradients are pushed higher, radiation levels within the linacs may rise exponentially, causing degradation of many nearby systems. This research aims to utilize machine learning with uncertainty quantification to predict radiation levels at multiple locations throughout the linacs and ultimately optimize cavity gradients to reduce field emission-induced radiation while maintaining the total linac energy gain necessary for the experimental physics program. The optimized solutions show over 40% reductions for both neutron and gamma radiation from the standard operational settings. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Understanding sextupole

In this study, we reassess the dynamics within a simple accelerator lattice featuring a single degree of freedom and incorporating a sextupole magnet. In the initial segment, we revisit the H\'enon quadratic map, a representation of a general transformation with quadratic nonlinearity. In the subsequent section, we unveil that a conventional sextupole is essentially a composite structure, comprising an integrable McMillan sextupole and octupole, along with non-integrable corrections of higher orders. This fresh perspective sheds light on the fundamental nature of the sextupole magnet, providing a more nuanced understanding of its far-from-trivial chaotic dynamics. Importantly, it enables the description of driving terms of the second and third orders and introduces associated nonlinear Courant-Snyder invariant.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Acceleration of uranium beam to record power of 10.4 kW and observation of new isotopes at Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a major nuclear physics facility for research with fast, stopped, and reaccelerated beams that was successfully commissioned in May 2022. A key capability of FRIB is the production of an acceleration of the uranium beam, but this capability requires the facility to work at the design limits of the lowest charge-to-mass ratio and the highest power density on the beam intercepting devices. This paper presents techniques for overcoming the significant challenges in accelerating the uranium beam, culminating in the demonstration of 10.4 kW on target, and the discovery of three new isotopes. The high-power uranium beam enabled us to produce and identify G 88 a , A 93 s , and S 96 e , within the first 24 h of operation. The successful uranium operation at FRIB sets a new record for accelerated uranium beam power above 10 kW and opens a new avenue of research with rare isotopes. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nb$^{3}$Sn Technology for Low-beta linacs

Nb3Sn is the most advanced potential successor for niobium in superconducting RF accelerator cavities. Nb3Sn has a significantly higher critical temperature (18.3 K) compared to that of niobium (9.2 K). This has a large effect on the BCS surface resistance, and therefore, on the dynamic RF losses at 4.5 K. The higher critical temperature allows two important changes for cavity and cryomodule design. First, the lower BCS losses allow the designer to use a higher frequency, translating to physically smaller cavities and cryomodules. Second, the low dynamic losses allow the use of stand-alone cryocoolers instead of complex helium refrigerators and distribution systems. Fabrication of a prototype 218 MHz cavity, test results, and continuing challenges are discussed.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quantitative description and correction of longitudinal drifts in the Fermilab linac

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) Linac accepts 750 keV H- ions from the front end and accelerates them to 400 MeV for injection into the Booster rapid cycling synchrotron. Day-to-day drifts in the beam longitudinal trajectory during regular operation are of the order of several degrees. They are believed to cause additional losses in both the Linac and the Booster and are addressed by empirically adjusting cavity phases of front end and Linac RF cavities. This work explores a scheme for expressing these drifts in terms of phase shifts in the low-energy part of the Linac. Such a description allows for a simplified visual representation of the drifts, suggests a clear algorithm for their compensation, and provides a tool for estimating efficiency of such compensation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ku-band electron linac for battery-powered hand-portable 2-MeV X-ray generator

X-ray generators, producing radiation in MeV range, are a critical tool for radiography, non-destructive testing and security applications. Field operation of such source requires them to be hand-portable, autonomous and allow parameter adjustability. RF linear accelerators can serve as a flexible, reliable, and robust radiation generator alternative to dangerous radioisotopes and bulky betatrons that are currently used for field radiography if their size, weight, cost, and imaging performance are matched to these sources. Here, in this paper, we present the design and test results of a 2 MeV Ku-band electron linac for a hand-portable X-ray generator system for field radiography being developed by RadiaBeam. The dramatic scale of miniaturization and cost-reduction is achieved thanks to the implementation of innovative technologies such as air-cooled Ku-band air-traffic control magnetrons, a split accelerating structure fabrication technique, and solid-state Marx modulators. This paper presents the design of the first prototype of the accelerator, its operation from Li-Ion batteries, as well as high-power and beam measurements.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

LAMP DTL Scoping Studies (Technical Report)

The present studies are based on the preliminary design efforts, and on the Scoping Studies of the “Strawman” design of LAMP front-end upgrade, referred in the text below to as “Feb.2024 Iteration”, presented in. The main accomplishment of present studies was substantial increase of the fidelity of the beam dynamics simulations in the proposed drift tube linac (DTL). The main accent was on development of the methodology for calculation of the longitudinal (synchrotron) and transverse (betatron) oscillations frequencies (phase advance per focusing period) values and providing the accelerating structure focusing lattice that has safe parameters of such oscillations to avoid unwanted emittance growth and possible beam halo formation. The resulting values of the oscillations phase advances are presented in Table 1, and in Figure 5 in the main body of the report. Special efforts were made to achieve the RF power consumption within limits of the existing RF power system and make sure that DTL fits in the existing tunnel. The LAMP scope does not suggest any additional building and/or tunnel construction. Table 1 summarizes some of these results, as well as Table 3 in the main body of the report.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gridded RF Gun Design for SRF Linac Applications

The thermionic gridded gun is described which generates short electron bunches for further acceleration in a Nb3Sn conduction cooled SRF linac. The gun is built into the first cavity of the 250 keV injector [1] for the 20 kW, 10 MeV, 1.3 GHz CW conduction cooled one-cavity linac. The beam current is 2 mA. The RF gun design is presented as well as the results of perveance measurements, which are in a good agreement with the design parameters. The design of the RF resonator of the gun is presented also. The beam generated by the gun is matched to the injector to provide lack of current interception in the SRF cavity.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗