The UA9 experimental layout

TL;DR

The UA9 experiment at CERN investigates crystal-assisted collimation using silicon bent crystals, beam loss monitors, and advanced detectors to improve beam control and collimation efficiency in high-energy accelerators.

Contribution

This paper details the hardware setup for crystal collimation studies at CERN's SPS in 2010, advancing experimental techniques in beam collimation.

Findings

Successful installation of crystal collimation hardware at CERN-SPS.

Effective measurement of nuclear loss rates and beam distribution.

Enhanced understanding of crystal-assisted beam steering.

Abstract

The UA9 experimental equipment was installed in the CERN-SPS in March '09 with the aim of investigating crystal assisted collimation in coasting mode. Its basic layout comprises silicon bent crystals acting as primary collimators mounted inside two vacuum vessels. A movable 60 cm long block of tungsten located downstream at about 90 degrees phase advance intercepts the deflected beam. Scintillators, Gas Electron Multiplier chambers and other beam loss monitors measure nuclear loss rates induced by the interaction of the beam halo in the crystal. Roman pots are installed in the path of the deflected particles and are equipped with a Medipix detector to reconstruct the transverse distribution of the impinging beam. Finally UA9 takes advantage of an LHC-collimator prototype installed close to the Roman pot to help in setting the beam conditions and to analyze the efficiency to deflect the beam. This paper describes in details the hardware installed to study the crystal collimation during 2010.