Redesign of the Jefferson Lab -300 kV DC Photo-Gun for High Bunch Charge Operations

Production of high bunch charge beams for the ElectronIon Collider (EIC) is a challenging task. High bunch charge (a few nC) electron beam studies at Jefferson Lab using an inverted insulator DC high voltage photo-gun showed evidence of space charge limitations starting at 0.3 nC, limiting the maximum delivered bunch charge to 0.7 nC for beam at -225 kV, 75 ps (FWHM) pulse width, and 1.64 mm (rms) laser spot size. The low extracted charge is due to the modest longitudinal electric field (Ez) at the photocathode leading to beam loss at the anode and downstream beam pipe. To reach the few nC high bunch charge goal, and to correct the beam deflection exerted by the non-symmetric nature of the inverted insulator photo-gun the existing photo-gun was modified. This contribution discusses the electrostatic design of the modified photo-gun obtained using CST Studio Suite’s electromagnetic field solver. Beam dynamics simulations performed using General Particle Tracer (GPT) with the resulting electrostatic field map obtained from the modified electrodes confirmed the validity of the new design

Inverted Geometry Ceramic Insulators in High Voltage DC Electron Guns for Accelerators

A direct current (dc) high voltage photo-emission electron gun operating at 130 kV is utilized at the Jefferson Lab (JLab) Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility to generate spin-polarized electrons for nuclear physics experiments. Over the past decade, JLab has tested and implemented inverted-geometry ceramic insulators in photoguns, connecting the cathode electrode in vacuum to the high voltage power supply using commercial high voltage cables. The results of those tests showed that breakdown voltage was increased using triple-point shielding electrodes and bulk-doped insulators that allow charge drainage. This contribution describes ongoing work to develop a robust insulatorcable connector for reliably applying 500 kV dc to a future polarized beam photogun operating at 350 kV without field emission

Simulation Study of the Magnetized Electron Beam

Electron cooling of the ion beam plays an important role in electron ion colliders to obtain the required high luminosity. This cooling efficiency can be enhanced by using a magnetized electron beam, where the cooling process occurs inside a solenoid field. This paper compares the predictions of ASTRA and GPT simulations to measurements made using a DC high voltage photogun producing magnetized electron beam, related to beam size and rotation angles as a function of the photogun magnetizing solenoid and other parameters

Generation and Characterization of Magnetized Electron Beam From a DC High Voltage Photogun for Electron Beam Cooling Application

One of the most challenging requirements for the proposed Electron–Ion Collider is the strong cooling of the proton beam, which is key to achieving the collider’s desired luminosity of order 1033–1034cm−2s−1. Magnetized bunched-beam electron cooling could be a means to achieve the required high luminosity, where strong cooling is accomplished inside a cooling solenoid where the ions co-propagate with an electron beam generated from a source immersed in a magnetic field. To increase the cooling efficiency, a bunched electron beam with high bunch charge and high repetition rate is required. This work describes the production and characterization of magnetized electron beam using a compact 300 kV DC high voltage photogun and bi-alkali antimonide photocathode. Beam magnetization was studied using a diagnostic beamline that includes viewer screens for measuring the shearing angle of the electron beamlet passing through a narrow upstream slit. Simulations and corresponding measurements of beam magnetization are presented as a function of laser spot size and magnetic field strength. Correlated beam emittance with magnetic field (0–0.15T) at the photocathode was measured for various laser spot sizes. Measurements of photocathode lifetime were carried out at different magnetized electron beam currents up to 28 mA, and bunch charge up to 0.7 nC (not simultaneously)

Simulation Study of the Emittance Measurements in Magnetized Electron Beam

Electron cooling of the ion beam is key to obtaining the required high luminosity of proposed electron-ion colliders. For the Jefferson Lab Electron Ion Collider, the expected luminosity of 10³⁴ 〖 cm〗⁻² s⁻¹ will be achieved through so-called ’magnetized electron cooling’, where the cooling process occurs inside a solenoid field, which will be part of the collider ring and facilitated using a circulator ring and Energy Recovery Linac (ERL). As an initial step, we generated magnetized electron beam using a new compact DC high voltage photogun biased at -300 kV employing an alkali-antimonide photocathode. This contribution presents the characterization of the magnetized electron beam (emittance variations with the magnetic field strength for different laser spot sizes) and a comparison to GPT simulations

Improved Electrostatic Design of the Jefferson Lab 300 kV DC Photogun and the Minimization of Beam Deflection

An electron beam with high bunch charge and high repetition rate is required for electron cooling of the ion beam to achieve the high luminosity required for the proposed electron-ion colliders. An improved design of the 300 kV DC high voltage photogun at Jefferson Lab was incorporated toward overcoming the beam loss and space charge current limitation experienced in the original design. To reach the bunch charge goal of ~ few nC within 75 ps bunches, the existing DC high voltage photogun electrodes and anode-cathode gap were modified to increase the longitudinal electric field (Ez) at the photocathode. The anode-cathode gap was reduced to increase the Ez at the photocathode, and the anode aperture was spatially shifted with respect to the beamline longitudinal axis to minimize the beam deflection introduced by the geometric asymmetry of the inverted insulator photogun. The electrostatic design and beam dynamics simulations were performed to determine the required modification. Beam-based measurement from the modified gun confirmed the reduction of the beam deflection, which is presented in this contribution

Magnetized Electron Source for JLEIC Cooler

Magnetized bunched-beam electron cooling is a critical part of the Jefferson Lab Electron Ion Collider (JLEIC). Strong cooling of ion beams will be accomplished inside a cooling solenoid where the ions co-propagate with an electron beam generated from a source immersed in magnetic field. This contribution describes the production and characterization of magnetized electron beam using a compact 300 kV DC high voltage photogun and bialkali-antimonide photocathodes. Beam magnetization was studied using a diagnostic beamline that includes viewer screens for measuring the shearing angle of the electron beamlet passing through a narrow upstream slit. Correlated beam emittance with magnetic field at the photocathode was measured for various laser spot sizes. Measurements of photocathode lifetime were carried out at different magnetized electron beam currents up to 28 mA and high bunch charge up to 0.7 nano-Coulomb was demonstrated

High Current High Charge Magnetized and Bunched Electron Beam From a DC Photogun for JLEIC Cooler

A high current, high charge magnetized electron beamline that has been under development for fast and efficient cooling of ion beams for the proposed Jefferson Lab Electron Ion Collider (JLEIC). In this paper, we present the latest progress over the past year that include the generation of picosecond magnetized beam bunches at average currents up to 28 mA with exceptionally long photocathode lifetime, and the demonstrations of magnetized beam with high bunch charge up to 700 pC at 10s of kHz repetition rates. Detailed studies on a stable drive laser system, long lifetime photocathode, beam magnetization effect, beam diagnostics, and a comparison between experiment and simulations will also be reported. These accomplishes marked an important step towards the essential feasibility for the JLEIC cooler design using magnetized beams

300 kV DC High Voltage Photogun With Inverted Insulator Geometry and CsK₂sb Photocathode

A compact DC high voltage photogun with inverted-insulator geometry was designed, built and operated reliably at 300 kV bias voltage using alkali-antimonide photocathodes. This presentation describes key electrostatic design features of the photogun with accompanying emittance measurements obtained across the entire photocathode surface that speak to field non-uniformity within the cathode/anode gap. A summary of initial photocathode lifetime measurements at beam currents up to 4.5 mA is also presented

Improving the Electrostatic Design of the Jefferson Lab 300 kV DC Photogun

The 300 kV DC high voltage photogun at Jefferson Lab was redesigned to deliver electron beams with a much higher bunch charge and improved beam properties. The original design provided only a modest longitudinal electric field (Ez) at the photocathode, which limited the achievable extracted bunch charge. To reach the bunch charge goal of approximately few nC with 75 ps full-width at half-maximum Gaussian laser pulse width, the existing DC high voltage photogun electrodes and anode–cathode gap were modified to increase Ez at the photocathode. In addition, the anode aperture was spatially shifted with respect to the beamline longitudinal axis to minimize the beam deflection introduced by the non-symmetric nature of the inverted insulator photogun design. We present the electrostatic design of the original photogun and the modified photogun and beam dynamics simulations that predict vastly improved performance. We also quantify the impact of the photocathode recess on beam quality, where recess describes the actual location of the photocathode inside the photogun cathode electrode relative to the intended location. A photocathode unintentionally recessed/misplaced by sub-millimeter distance can significantly impact the downstream beam size