Pressurized ${\mathbf{H}}_2$ rf Cavities in Ionizing Beams and Magnetic Fields

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.184802· OSTI ID:1128460

Chung, M.; Collura, M. G.; Flanagan, G.; Freemire, B.; Hanlet, P. M.; Jana, M. R.; Johnson, R. P.; Kaplan, D. M.; Leonova, M.; Moretti, A.; Popovic, M.; Schwarz, T.; Tollestrup, A.; Torun, Y.; Yonehara, K.

A major technological challenge in building a muon cooling channel is operating RF cavities in multi-tesla external magnetic fields. We report the first experimental characterization of a high pressure gas-filled 805 MHz RF cavity for use with intense ionizing beams and strong external magnetic fields. RF power consumption by beam-induced plasma was investigated with hydrogen and deuterium gases with pressures between 20 and 100 atm and peak RF gradients between 5 and 50 MV/m. The energy absorption per ion pair-RF cycle ranges from 10-18 to 10-16 J. The low pressure case agrees well with an analytical model based on electron and ion mobilities. Varying concentrations of oxygen gas were investigated to remove free electrons from the cavity and reduce the RF power consumption. Measurements of the electron attachment time to oxygen and rate of ion-ion recombination were also made. Additionally, we demonstrate the operation of the gas-filled RF cavity in a solenoidal field of up to 3 T, finding no major magnetic field dependence. These results indicate that a high pressure gas-filled cavity is potentially a viable technology for muon ionization cooling.

• Research Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359
• OSTI ID: 1128460
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-PUB-13-269-APC; PRLTAO; ArticleNumber: 184802
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 111, Issue 18; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English