First Experimental Evidence of a Beam-Beam Long-Range Compensation Using Wires in the Large Hadron Collider

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental validation of using wire compensators to mitigate beam-beam long-range interactions in the LHC, improving collider performance and demonstrating the potential for future upgrades.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental evidence supporting wire compensators as an effective method to mitigate beam-beam long-range effects in the LHC.

Findings

Successful mitigation of BBLR interactions demonstrated

Wire compensators improved beam conditions

Experimental campaign validated the concept for operational use

Abstract

In high intensity and high energy colliders such as the CERN Large Hadron Collider and its future High Luminosity upgrade, interactions between the two beams around the different Interaction Points impose machine performance limitations. In fact, their effect reduces the beam lifetime and therefore the collider's luminosity reach. Those interactions are called Beam-Beam Long-Range interactions and a possible mitigation of their effect using DC wires was proposed for the first time in the early 2000's. This solution is currently being studied as an option for enhancing the HL-LHC performance. In 2017 and 2018, four demonstrators of wire compensators have been installed in the LHC. A two-year long experimental campaign followed in order to validate the possibility to mitigate the BBLR interactions in the LHC. During this campaign, a proof-of-concept was completed and motivated an additional set of experiments, successfully demonstrating the mitigation of BBLR interactions effects in beam conditions compatible with the operational configuration. This paper reports in detail the preparation of the experimental campaign, the obtained results and draws some perspectives for the future.