Regular Article

Beam dynamics and electromagnetic studies of a 3 MeV, 325 MHz radio frequency quadrupole accelerator

¹ Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
² Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452013, India

^* e-mail: rahul@rrcat.gov.in

Received: 27 June 2017
Received in final form: 16 December 2017
Accepted: 1 March 2018
Published online: 18 May 2018

Abstract

We present the beam dynamics and electromagnetic studies of a 3 MeV, 325 MHz H⁻ radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator for the proposed Indian Spallation Neutron Source project. We have followed a design approach, where the emittance growth and the losses are minimized by keeping the tune depression ratio larger than 0.5. The transverse cross-section of RFQ is designed at a frequency lower than the operating frequency, so that the tuners have their nominal position inside the RFQ cavity. This has resulted in an improvement of the tuning range, and the efficiency of tuners to correct the field errors in the RFQ. The vane-tip modulations have been modelled in CST-MWS code, and its effect on the field flatness and the resonant frequency has been studied. The deterioration in the field flatness due to vane-tip modulations is reduced to an acceptable level with the help of tuners. Details of the error study and the higher order mode study along with mode stabilization technique are also described in the paper.