U.S. Particle Accelerator School
U.S. Particle Accelerator School
America's National School of Accelerator Science and Technology

Proton and Ion Linear Accelerators

Sponsoring University:

UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education

Course:

Proton and Ion Linear Accelerators
This class is limited to 20 students

Instructors:

Yuri Batygin and Sergey Kurennoy, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Vyacheslav Yakovlev, Fermilab
TAs: Salvador Sosa Guitron and Sebastian Szustkowski, Los Alamos National Lab



Purpose and Audience
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive introduction to proton and ion RF linear accelerators. This course is suitable for graduate students, scientists, and engineers who want to get a better understanding of high-current beam dynamics and modern accelerator technology.

Prerequisites
Senior undergraduate-level Electromagnetism and Classical Mechanics are required. Familiarity with basic accelerator physics at the level of the USPAS “Fundamentals of Accelerator Physics and Technology with Simulations and Measurements Lab" course, introductory plasma physics, and special relativity are recommended.

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

Objectives
This course is intended to give a student a broad overview of Radio Frequency accelerators and beamlines for charged particle beams. Special emphasis is on high-current beam dynamics and linac technology. The topics include: principles of RF acceleration and focusing, particle dynamics with self-consistent space-charge, halo formation in particle beams, nonlinear effects in focusing and acceleration, beam loading effects, normal and superconducting accelerating structures, RF cavities and fabrication technology, beam focusing elements, and Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) accelerators. Students successfully completing the course will be able to design linear accelerators with high beam current, find optimal designs to minimize particle losses and to provide optimal beam dynamics in linacs, determine beam emittance growth and beam current limits in RF accelerators and beamlines.

Instructional Method
The course will consist of lectures during the morning sessions, focusing on the theoretical understanding of the course content. Afternoon sessions will focus on solving practical problems, and a research project on the design of a linear accelerator using codes provided by instructors. Daily homework will be assigned to reinforce and review basic concepts introduced. The instructors will be available during recitations and evening problem sessions.

Course Content
The course provides a description of linear particle accelerators with intense beams. Topics covered include: basics of acceleration and focusing in RF linacs, RF accelerating structures, beam diagnostics, self-consistent dynamics of particles, emittance and brightness of the beam, beam focusing in quadrupole and solenoidal magnetic field focusing channels, beam current limits, nonlinear effects, beam loss, emittance growth, beam halo formation, RFQ, and space charge dominated beams in RF linacs.

Reading Requirements
(to be provided by the USPAS) "RF Linear Accelerators" - second, completely revised and enlarged edition, Wiley Publishers (2008) by Thomas Wangler. Students will also receive instructor-provided handouts.

Credit Requirements
Students will be evaluated based on performance: an in-class final exam (20 % of the course grade), homework and research project assignments (80 % of the course grade).

USPAS Computer Requirements
There will be no Computer Lab and 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.


Indiana University course number: Physics 571, Special Topics in Physics of Beams
Michigan State University course number: PHY 963, U.S. Particle Accelerator School
MIT course number: 8.790, Accelerator Physics