Latest Developments from the S-DALINAC*

TL;DR

The paper reports recent advancements at the S-DALINAC accelerator, including new measurement systems, phase space analysis, cavity improvements, and feedback control to enhance performance and experimental capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces novel measurement techniques, cavity enhancement methods, and a digital feedback system for the S-DALINAC accelerator, advancing its operational precision and diagnostic tools.

Findings

Good agreement between phase space reconstructions and simulations

Successful testing of gamma-radiation measurement system

Initial improvements in cavity quality factor observed

Abstract

The S-DALINAC is a 130 MeV superconducting recirculating electron accelerator serving several nuclear and radiation physics experiments as well as driving an infrared free-electron laser. A system of normal conducting rf resonators for noninvasive beam position and current measurement was established. For the measurement of gamma-radiation inside the accelerator cave a system of Compton diodes has been developed and tested. Detailed investigations of the transverse phasespace were carried out with a tomographical reconstruction method of optical transition radiation spots. The method can be applied also to non-Gaussian phasespace distributions. The results are in good accordance with simulations. To improve the quality factor of the superconducting 3 GHz cavities, an external 2K testcryostat was commissioned. The influence of electro-chemical polishing and magnetic shielding is currently under investigation. A digital rf-feedback-system for the accelerator cavities is being developed in order to improve the energy spread of the beam of the S-DALINAC. * Supported by the BMBF under contract no. 06 DA 820, the DFG under contract no. Ri 242/12-1 and -2 and the DFG Graduiertenkolleg 'Physik und Technik von Beschleunigern'