Concepts of Accelerator Science and Technology

Course Name:

Concepts of Accelerator Science and Technology

July 15 - 19: class full; please contact uspas@fnal.gov to have your name added to the waiting list
July 22 - 26: this class is limited to 15 students

Instructors:

Elvin Harms, Fermilab (retired) and Nusano, Inc. and Steven Boi, Nusano, Inc.

Purpose and Audience
This one-week duration pass/fail course is intended as an entry-level introduction to the field with underlying physics principles and operational aspects of accelerator facilities overviewed. It is geared to accelerator operators, engineers, and technicians entering the field as well as undergraduates, and others seeking a mathematically less rigorous introduction to accelerator science and technology. Concepts is a briefer and more qualitative introduction to the field than provided by the USPAS two-week courses Fundamentals of Accelerator Physics and Technology with Simulations and Measurements Lab (undergrad-level university credit) and Accelerator Physics (graduate-level university credit). Those successfully completing the course will receive a USPAS Certificate of Achievement. 

Prerequisites
Previous undergraduate freshman or sophomore-level coursework and/or a general understanding of classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and relativity at the level of Halliday, Walker, and Resnick's Fundamentals of Physics is recommended as is familiarity with test equipment found in a typical undergraduate physics laboratory.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet the course prerequisites or have equivalent experience.

Objectives
This course will focus on giving participants an introduction to the basics of particle accelerators, their associated technologies, and real-life applications. A practical understanding of the principles, provided through daily lectures, will be coupled to implementation of the concepts through laboratory exercises. Group projects with presentations on the last day of class will provide full integration and ensure comprehension of the material presented.

Instructional Method
This course includes a series of lectures together with laboratory sessions and demonstrations on the fundamental components of particle accelerators. Laboratory sessions will include both computer simulations and experimental measurements employing accelerator hardware. Students will form teams and as class homework investigate a particular type of accelerator and/or associated applied technology. Group presentations on the last day of class will serve as capstones to the investigations conducted during the week.

Course Content
The lectures will overview particle accelerators and their applications together with their historical development. An introduction to the underlying physics concepts and their mathematical description will preface lectures on the basics of transverse and longitudinal particle motion, beam bending and focusing methods, means of acceleration, and particle beam measurement/instrumentation.

The laboratory sessions will provide hands-on experience with accelerator hardware and instrumentation by means of standard measurement tools such as oscilloscopes, network analyzers, and magnetic field probes. Complementary computer lab modules will aid in visualization of the evolution of particle behavior in accelerators.

Interspersed throughout will be descriptions of the technologies germane to the field. Students will be given an opportunity to suggest specific topics of mutual interest to close out the lecture series as well as share their experiences in the field.

Reading Requirements
(To be provided by the USPAS) An Introduction to Particle Accelerators, Oxford University Press (2006), Edmund Wilson.

Optional, but encouraged readings:
Engines of Discovery, World Scientific (2014), Andrew Sessler and Edmund Wilson.

An Introduction to the Physics of High Energy Accelerators, Wiley Publishers (1993), D.A. Edwards and M.J. Syphers

Additional handouts with supplementary material will be provided by the course instructors.

Credit Requirements
The course will be graded pass/fail. Students will be evaluated based on performance and participation in a group project researching a particular type of accelerator or related technology. Group presentations will be given on the last morning of class. Evening homework sessions will be devoted to exploring the projects and preparation for final presentations. Those passing will receive a USPAS Certificate of Achievement.

USPAS Computer Requirements
There will be no Computer Lab; all participants are required to bring their own portable computer to access online course notes and computer resources. This can be a laptop or a tablet with a sufficiently large screen and keyboard. Windows, Mac, and Linux-based systems that are wifi capable and have a standard web browser and mouse are all acceptable. You should have privileges for software installs. If you are unable to bring a computer, please contact uspas@fnal.gov ASAP to request a laptop loan. Very limited IT support and spare loaner laptops will be available during the session.

This course is not available for UC Davis credit. It will be graded pass/fail and passing students will receive a USPAS Certificate of Achievement.