Dependence of the Electron-Cloud Instability on the Beam Energy

The electron cloud (EC) can be formed in the beam pipe of a circular accelerator if the secondary emission yield (SEY) of the inner surface is larger than 1, and it can detrimentally affect the circulating beam. Understanding the underlying physics and defining the scaling laws of this effect is indispensable to steer the upgrade plans of the existing machines and the design of new ones. The single bunch EC instability (ECI) is shown to be strongly affected by the transverse beam size. Transversely, smaller beams going through an electron cloud generate higher electron peak densities and lower the intensity threshold to make the beam unstable. In particular, since higher energy beams have smaller transverse sizes (for equal normalized transverse emittances), the scaling of the ECI threshold with the beam energy turns out to be surprisingly unfavorable

Experimental Study of the Electron Cloud Instability at the CERN SPS

The electron cloud instability limits the performance of many existing proton and positron rings. A simulation study carried out with the HEADTAIL code revealed that the threshold for its onset decreases with increasing beam energy, if the 6D emittance of the bunch is kept constant and the longitudinal matching to the bucket is preserved. Experiments have been carried out at the CERN-SPS to study the dependence of the vertical electron cloud instability on the energy and on the beam size. The reduction of the physical transverse emittance as a function of energy is considered in fact to be the main reason for the unusual dependence of this instability on energy

Measurements of the LHC longitudinal resistive impedance with beam

The resistive part of the longitudinal impedance contributes to the heat deposition on different elements in the LHC ring including the beam screens, where it has to be absorbed by the cryogenic system and can be a practical limitation for the maximum beam intensity. In this paper, we present the first measurements of the LHC longitudinal resistive impedance with beam, done through synchronous phase shift measurements duringMachine Development sessions in 2012. Synchronous phase shift is measured for different bunch intensities and lengths using the high-precision LHC Beam Phase Module and then data are post-processed to further increase the accuracy. The dependence of the energy loss per particle on bunch length is then obtained and compared with the expected values found using the LHC impedance model

Progress with the Upgrade of the SPS for the HL-LHC Era

The demanding beam performance requirements of the High Luminosity (HL-) LHC project translate into a set of requirements and upgrade paths for the LHC injector complex. In this paper the performance requirements for the SPS and the known limitations are reviewed in the light of the 2012 operational experience. The various SPS upgrades in progress and still under consideration are described, in addition to the machine studies and simulations performed in 2012. The expected machine performance reach is estimated on the basis of the present knowledge, and the remaining decisions that still need to be made concerning upgrade options are detailed.Comment: 3 p. Presented at 4th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2013

CERN SPS Impedance in 2007

Each year several measurements of the beam coupling impedance are performed in both longitudinal and transverse planes of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron to keep track of its evolution. In parallel, after the extensive and successful campaign of identification, classification and cure of the possible sources of (mainly longitudinal) impedance between 1998 and 2001, a new campaign (essentially for the transverse impedance this time) has started few years ago, in view of the operation of the SPS with higher intensity for the LHC luminosity upgrade. The present paper summarizes the results obtained from the measurements performed over the last few years and compares them to our predictions. In particular, it reveals that the longitudinal impedance is reasonably well understood and the main contributors have already been identified. However, the situation is quite different in the transverse plane: albeit the relative evolution of the transverse impedance over the last few years can be well explained by the introduction of the nine MKE kickers necessary for beam extraction towards the LHC, significant contributors to the SPS transverse impedance have not been identified yet

SPS Impedance

For many years several measurements of the beam coupling impedance have been performed each year in both longitudinal and transverse planes of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron to keep track of the evolution of its hardware. Copious types of equipments had to be modified or added in the past to allow the SPS to produce the nominal LHC beam. The next challenge would be the operation of the SPS with higher intensity for the LHC luminosity upgrade, which requires a good knowledge of the machine impedance and in particular of its major contributors. The current understanding of the measurements performed over the last few years is presented in this paper. In particular, this analysis reveals that the longitudinal impedance is reasonably well understood, while the situation is less satisfactory in the transverse planes, where about half of the measured impedance still needs to be identified

Experimental Studies of Carbon Coatings as Possible Means of Suppressing Beam Induced Electron Multipacting in the CERN SPS

Electron cloud build-up is a major limitation for the operation of the SPS with LHC beam above nominal intensity. These beams are envisaged in the frame of the LHC luminosity upgrade and will be available from the new injectors LPSPL and PS2. A series of studies have been conducted in order to identify possible means to suppress electron multipacting by coating the existing SPS vacuum chambers with thin films of amorphous carbon. After a description of the experimental apparatus installed in the SPS, the results of the tests performed with beam in 2008 will be presented

Building the impedance model of a real machine

A reliable impedance model of a particle accelerator can be built by combining the beam coupling impedances of all the components. This is a necessary step to be able to evaluate the machine performance limitations, identify the main contributors in case an impedance reduction is required, and study the interaction with other mechanisms such as optics nonlinearities, transverse damper, noise, space charge, electron cloud, beam-beam (in a collider). The main phases to create a realistic impedance model, and verify it experimentally, will be reviewed, highlighting the main challenges. Some examples will be presented revealing the levels of precision of machine impedance models that have been achieved

Update on Beam Induced RF Heating in the LHC

Since June 2011 the rapid increase of the luminosity performance of the LHC has come at the expense of both increased temperature and pressure of specific, near-beam, LHC equipment. In some cases, this beam induced heating has caused delays while equipment cool-down, beam dumps and even degradation of some devices. This contribution gathers the observations of beam induced heating, attributed to longitudinal beam coupling impedance, their current level of understanding and possible actions planned to be implemented during the 1st LHC Long Shutdown (LS1) in 2013-2014