STAR HE-Linac Complete Detailed Design Report

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive technical design report for upgrading the STAR Linear Accelerator to a higher energy version using advanced RF technology, emphasizing design details, procedures, and technological improvements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel upgrade approach adopting C-band RF technology for enhanced performance and reliability of the STAR-HE-Linac system.

Findings

Successful conceptual design of C-band RF upgrade

Approval obtained for the upgrade plan

Enhanced performance and operational reliability

Abstract

This Document contains a complete technical description of the system devoted to the upgrade of the STAR Linear Accelerator (STAR Linac). According to the Contract signed between Universita della Calabria (UniCal) and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) on May 7th, 2021, INFN is committed to install, test and commission the upgrade of the STAR Linac denominated STAR-HE-Linac (STAR High Energy Linac), hereafter STAR-HEL. The technical components as well as the installation / test procedures and the ancillary equipment involved in such an upgrade are the object of this Document, named Complete Detailed Design Report. A technical offer was submitted by INFN in the frame of its participation to the tender issued by UniCal, describing a possible energy upgrade of the STAR Linac, with an electron beam energy boosted from 65 MeV up to 150 MeV by means of Radiofrequency (RF) accelerating sections and power stations based on S-band technology (ie, 2856 MHz RF frequency). Following the Contract signature, INFN conceived and conceptually designed a technology change that offers several advantages both on performances and on operational reliability of STAR-HEL, based on adopting C-band technology (ie, 5712 MHz RF frequency) for accelerating sections and RF power stations. Such a technology change was illustrated in a dedicated document named "improvement option for STAR-2 HE-Linac", addressed to UniCal STAR Management Board and tender R.U.P. for approval on June 9th, 2021. INFN received a formal letter of approval on June 16th, 2021.