Principles of Charged Particle Acceleration
Principles of Charged Particle Acceleration
Principles of Charged Particle Acceleration
Particle Acceleration
Stanley Humphries, Jr.
Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
1. Introduction 1
2. Particle Dynamics 8
5.1. Dielectrics 77
5.2. Boundary Conditions at Dielectric Surfaces 83
5.3. Ferromagnetic Materials 87
5.4. Static Hysteresis Curve for Ferromagnetic Materials 91
5.5. Magnetic Poles 95
5.6. Energy Density of Electric and Magnetic Fields 97
5.7. Magnetic Circuits 99
5.8. Permanent Magnet Circuits 103
Bibliography 556
Index
Introduction
1
Introduction
This book is an introduction to the theory of charged particle acceleration. It has two primary
roles:
1.A unified, programmed summary of the principles underlying all charged particle
accelerators.
The book contains straightforward expositions of basic principles rather than detailed theories
of specialized areas.
Accelerator research is a vast and varied field. There is an amazingly broad range of beam
parameters for different applications, and there is a correspondingly diverse set of technologies to
achieve the parameters. Beam currents range from nanoamperes (10-9 A) to megaamperes (106
A). Accelerator pulselengths range from less than a nanosecond to steady state. The species of
charged particles range from electrons to heavy ions, a mass difference factor approaching 106.
The energy of useful charged particle beams ranges from a few electron volts (eV) to almost 1
TeV (1012 eV).
Organizing material from such a broad field is inevitably an imperfect process. Before
beginning our study of beam physics, it is useful to review the order of topics and to define
clearly the objectives and limitations of the book. The goal is to present the theory of
accelerators on a level that facilitates the design of accelerator components and the operation
of accelerators for applications. In order to accomplish this effectively, a considerable amount of
1
Introduction
potentially interesting material must be omitted:
2. Although an effort has been made to include the most recent developments in
accelerator science, there is insufficient space to include a detailed review of past and
present literature.
3. Although the theoretical treatments are aimed toward an understanding of real devices,
it is not possible to describe in detail specific accelerators and associated technology over
the full range of the field.
These deficiencies are compensated by the books and papers tabulated in the bibliography.
We begin with some basic definitions. A charged particle is an elementary particle or a
macroparticle which contains an excess of positive or negative charge. Its motion is determined
mainly by interaction with electromagnetic forces. Charged particle acceleration is the transfer of
kinetic energy to a particle by the application of an electric field. A charged particle beam is a
collection of particles distinguished by three characteristics: (1) beam particles have high kinetic
energy compared to thermal energies, (2) the particles have a small spread in kinetic energy, and
(3) beam particles move approximately in one direction. In most circumstances, a beam has a
limited extent in the direction transverse to the average motion. The antithesis of a beam is an
assortment of particles in thermodynamic equilibrium.
Most applications of charged particle accelerators depend on the fact that beam particles have
high energy and good directionality. Directionality is usually referred to as coherence. Beam
coherence determines, among other things, (1) the applied force needed to maintain a certain
beam radius, (2) the maximum beam propagation distance, (3) the minimum focal spot size, and
(4) the properties of an electromagnetic wave required to trap particles and accelerate them to
high energy.
The process for generating charged particle beams is outlined in Table 1.1.. Electromagnetic
forces result from mutual interactions between charged particles. In accelerator theory, particles
are separated into two groups: (1) particles in the beam and (2) charged particles that are
distributed on or in surrounding materials. The latter group is called the external charge. Energy is
required to set up distributions of external charge; this energy is transferred to the beam particles
via electromagnetic forces. For example, a power supply can generate a voltage difference
between metal plates by subtracting negative charge from one plate and moving it to the other. A
beam particle that moves between the plates is accelerated by attraction to the charge on one plate
and repulsion from the charge on the other.
Electromagnetic forces are resolved into electric and magnetic components. Magnetic forces are
present only when charges are in relative motion. The ability of a group of external charged
2
Introduction
particles to exert forces on beam particles is summarized in the applied electric and magnetic
fields. Applied forces are usually resolved into those aligned along the average direction of the
beam and those that act transversely. The axial forces are acceleration forces; they increase or
decrease the beam energy. The transverse forces are confinement forces. They keep the beam
contained to a specific cross-sectional area or bend the beam in a desired direction. Magnetic
forces are always perpendicular to the velocity of a particle; therefore, magnetic fields cannot
affect the particle's kinetic energy. Magnetic forces are confinement forces. Electric forces can
serve both functions.
The distribution and motion of external charge determines the fields, and the fields determine
the force on a particle via the Lorentz force law, discussed in Chapter 3. The expression for force
is included in an appropriate equation of motion to find the position and velocity of particles in the
beam as a function of time. A knowledge of representative particle orbits makes it possible to
estimate average parameters of the beam, such as radius, direction, energy, and current. It is also
3
Introduction
possible to sum over the large number of particles in the beam to find charge density ? b and
current density jb. These quantities act as source terms for beam-generated electric and magnetic
fields.
This procedure is sufficient to describe low-current beams where the contribution to total
electric and magnetic fields from the beam is small compared to those of the external charges.
This is not the case at high currents. As shown in Table 1.1, calculation of beam parameters is no
longer a simple linear procedure. The calculation must be self-consistent. Particle trajectories are
determined by the total fields, which include contributions from other beam particles. In turn, the
total fields are unknown until the trajectories are calculated. The problem must be solved either by
successive iteration or application of the methods of collective physics.
Single-particle processes are covered in this book. Although theoretical treatments for some
devices can be quite involved, the general form of all derivations follows the straight-line
sequence of Table 1.1. Beam particles are treated as test particles responding to specified fields. A
continuation of this book addressing collective phenomena in charged particle beams is available:
S. Humphries, Charged Particle Beams (Wiley, New York, 1990). A wide variety of useful
processes for both conventional and high-power pulsed accelerators are described by collective
physics, including (1) beam cooling, (2) propagation of beams injected into vacuum, gas, or
plasma, (3) neutralization of beams, (4) generation of microwaves, (5) limiting factors for
efficiency and flux, (6) high-power electron and ion guns, and (7) collective beam instabilities.
An outline of the topics covered in this book is given in Table 1.2. Single-particle theory can be
subdivided into two categories: transport and acceleration. Transport is concerned with beam
confinement. The study centers on methods for generating components of electromagnetic force
that localize beams in space. For steady-state beams extending a long axial distance, it is sufficient
to consider only transverse forces. In contrast, particles in accelerators with time-varying fields
must be localized in the axial direction. Force components must be added to the accelerating fields
for longitudinal particle confinement (phase stability).
Acceleration of charged particles is conveniently divided into two categories: electrostatic and
electromagnetic acceleration. The accelerating field in electrostatic accelerators is the gradient of
an electrostatic potential. The peak energy of the beam is limited by the voltage that can be
sustained without breakdown. Pulsed power accelerators are included in this category because
pulselengths are almost always long enough to guarantee simple electrostatic acceleration.
In order to generate beams with kinetic energy above a few million electron volts, it is necessary
to utilize time-varying electromagnetic fields. Although particles in an electromagnetic accelerator
experience continual acceleration by an electric field, the field does not require
4
Introduction
5
Introduction
prohibitively large voltages in the laboratory. The accelerator geometry is such that inductively
generated electric fields cancel electrostatic fields except at the position of the beam.
Electromagnetic accelerators are divided into two subcategories: nonresonant and resonant
accelerators. Nonresonant accelerators are pulsed; the motion of particles need not be closely
synchronized with the pulse waveform. Nonresonant electromagnetic accelerators are essentially
step-up transformers, with the beam acting as a high-voltage secondary. The class is subdivided
into linear and circular accelerators. A linear accelerator is a straight-through machine. Generally,
injection into the accelerator and transport is not difficult; linear accelerators are
6
Introduction
useful for initial acceleration of low-energy beams or the generation of high-flux beams. In
circular machines, the beam is recirculated many times through the acceleration region during the
pulse. Circular accelerators are well suited to the production of beams with high kinetic energy.
The applied voltage in a resonant accelerator varies harmonically at a specific frequency. The
word resonant characterizes two aspects of the accelerator: (1) electromagnetic oscillations in
resonant cavities or waveguides are used to transform input microwave power from low to high
voltage and (2) there is close coupling between properties of the particle orbits and time
variations of the accelerating field. Regarding the second property, particles must always be at the
proper place at the proper time to experience a field with accelerating polarity. Longitudinal
confinement is a critical issue in resonant accelerators. Resonant accelerators can also be
subdivided into linear and circular machines, each category with its relative virtues.
In the early period of accelerator development, the quest for high kinetic energy, spurred by
nuclear and elementary particle research, was the overriding goal. Today, there is increased
emphasis on a diversity of accelerator applications. Much effort in modern accelerator theory is
devoted to questions of current limits, beam quality, and the evolution of more efficient and
cost-effective machines. The best introduction to modern accelerators is to review some of the
active areas of research, both at high and low kinetic energy. The list in Table 1.3 suggests the
diversity of applications and potential for future development.
7
Particle Dynamics
2
Particle Dynamics
Understanding and utilizing the response of charged particles to electromagnetic forces is the
basis of particle optics and accelerator theory. The goal is to find the time-dependent position
and velocity of particles, given specified electric and magnetic fields. Quantities calculated from
position and velocity, such as total energy, kinetic energy, and momentum, are also of interest.
The nature of electromagnetic forces is discussed in Chapter 3. In this chapter, the response of
particles to general forces will be reviewed. These are summarized in laws of motion. The
Newtonian laws, treated in the first sections, apply at low particle energy. At high energy,
particle trajectories must be described by relativistic equations. Although Newton's laws and
their implications can be understood intuitively, the laws of relativity cannot since they apply to
regimes beyond ordinary experience. Nonetheless, they must be accepted to predict particle
behavior in high-energy accelerators. In fact, accelerators have provided some of the most direct
verifications of relativity.
This chapter reviews particle mechanics. Section 2.1 summarizes the properties of electrons
and ions. Sections 2.2-2.4 are devoted to the equations of Newtonian mechanics. These are
applicable to electrons from electrostatic accelerators of in the energy range below 20 kV. This
range includes many useful devices such as cathode ray tubes, electron beam welders, and
microwave tubes. Newtonian mechanics also describes ions in medium energy accelerators used
for nuclear physics. The Newtonian equations are usually simpler to solve than relativistic
formulations. Sometimes it is possible to describe transverse motions of relativistic particles
using Newtonian equations with a relativistically corrected mass. This approximation is treated
8
Particle Dynamics
in Section 2.10. In the second part of the chapter, some of the principles of special
relativity are derived from two basic postulates, leading to a number of useful formulas
summarized in Section 2.9.
In the theory of charged particle acceleration and transport, it is sufficient to treat particles as
dimensionless points with no internal structure. Only the influence of the electromagnetic force,
one of the four fundamental forces of nature, need be considered. Quantum theory is
unnecessary except to describe the emission of radiation at high energy.
This book will deal only with ions and electrons. They are simple, stable particles. Their
response to the fields applied in accelerators is characterized completely by two quantities: mass
and charge. Nonetheless, it is possible to apply much of the material presented to other particles.
For example, the motion of macroparticles with an electrostatic charge can be treated by the
methods developed in Chapters 6-9. Applications include the suspension of small objects in
oscillating electric quadrupole fields and the acceleration and guidance of inertial fusion targets.
At the other extreme are unstable elementary particles produced by the interaction of
high-energy ions or electrons with targets. Beamlines, acceleration gaps, and lenses are similar
to those used for stable particles with adjustments for different mass. The limited lifetime may
influence hardware design by setting a maximum length for a beamline or confinement time in a
storage ring.
An electron is an elementary particle with relatively low mass and negative charge. An ion is
an assemblage of protons, neutrons, and electrons. It is an atom with one or more electrons
removed. Atoms of the isotopes of hydrogen have only one electron. Therefore, the associated
ions (the proton, deuteron, and triton) have no electrons. These ions are bare nucleii consisting
of a proton with 0, 1, or 2 neutrons. Generally, the symbol Z denotes the atomic number of an
ion or the number of electrons in the neutral atom. The symbol Z* is often used to represent the
number of electrons removed from an atom to create an ion. Values of Z* greater than 30 may
occur when heavy ions traverse extremely hot material. If Z* = Z, the atom is fully stripped. The
atomic mass number A is the number of nucleons (protons or neutrons) in the nucleus. The mass
of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus and is given approximately as Am p, where mp is the
proton mass.
Properties of some common charged particles are summarized in Table 2.1. The meaning of
the rest energy in Table 2.1 will become clear after reviewing the theory of relativity. It is listed
in energy units of million electron volts (MeV). An electron volt is defined as the energy gained
by a particle having one fundamental unit of charge (q = ±e = ±1.6 × 10- 19 coulombs) passing
9
Particle Dynamics
through a potential difference of one volt. In MKS units, the electron volt is
Other commonly used metric units are keV (10 3 eV) and GeV (10 9 eV). Relativistic mechanics
must be used when the particle kinetic energy is comparable to or larger than the rest energy.
There is a factor of 1843 difference between the mass of the electron and the proton. Although
methods for transporting and accelerating various ions are similar, techniques for electrons are
quite different. Electrons are relativistic even at low energies. As a consequence, synchronization
of electron motion in linear accelerators is not difficult. Electrons are strongly influenced by
magnetic fields; thus they can be accelerated effectively in a circular induction accelerator (the
betatron). High-current electron beams ( -10 kA) can be focused effectively by magnetic fields.
In contrast, magnetic fields are ineffective for high-current ion beams. On the other hand, it is
possible to neutralize the charge and current of a high-current ion beam easily with light
electrons, while the inverse is usually impossible.
The charge of a particle determines the strength of its interaction with the electromagnetic force.
The mass indicates the resistance to a change in velocity. In Newtonian mechanics, mass is
constant, independent of particle motion.
10
Particle Dynamics
The Newtonian mass (or rest mass) is denoted by a subscript: m e for electrons, m p for protons,
and mo for a general particle. A particle's behavior is described completely by its position in
three-dimensional space and its velocity as a function of time. Three quantities are necessary to
specify position; the position x is a vector. In the Cartesian coordinates (Figure 2.1), x can be
written
x (x,y,z). (2.1)
Newton's first law states that a moving particle follows a straight-line path unless acted upon
by a force. The tendency to resist changes in straight-line motion is called the momentum, p.
Momentum is the product of a particle's mass and velocity,
p mov (px,p y,pz). (2.3)
11
Particle Dynamics
Motions in the three directions are decoupled in Eq. (2.5). With specified force components,
velocity components in the x, y, and z directions are determined by separate equations. It is
important to note that this decoupling occurs only when the equations of motion are written in
terms of Cartesian coordinates. The significance of straight-line motion is apparent in Newton's
first law, and the laws of motion have the simplest form in coordinate systems based on straight
lines. Caution must be exercised using coordinate systems based on curved lines. The analog of
Eq. (2.5) for cylindrical coordinates (r, 0, z) will be derived in Chapter 3. In curvilinear
coordinates, momentum components may change even with no force components along the
coordinate axes.
Kinetic energy is the energy associated with a particle's motion. The purpose of particle
accelerators is to impart high kinetic energy. The kinetic energy of a particle, T, is changed by
applying a force. Force applied to a static particle cannot modify T; the particle must be moved.
The change in T (work) is related to the force by
T F@dx. (2.6)
m
The integrated quantity is the vector dot product; dx is an incremental change in particle
position.
In accelerators, applied force is predominantly in one direction. This corresponds to the
symmetry axis of a linear accelerator or the main circular orbit in a betatron. With acceleration
along the z axis, Eq. (2.6) can be rewritten
T Fzdz F z (dz/dt) dt. (2.7)
m m
The chain rule of derivatives has been used in the last expression. The formula for T in
Newtonian mechanics can be derived by (1) rewriting F, using Eq. (2.4), (2) taking T = 0 when
v, = 0, and (3) assuming that the particle mass is not a function of velocity:
12
Particle Dynamics
The differential relationship d(movz2/2)/dt = m ovz dvz/dt leads to the last expression. The
differences of relativistic mechanics arise from the fact that assumption 3 is not true at high
energy.
When static forces act on a particle, the potential energy U can be defined. In this
circumstance, the sum of kinetic and potential energies, T + U, is a constant called the total
energy. If the force is axial, kinetic and potential energy are interchanged as the particle moves
along the z axis, so that U = U(z). Setting the total time derivative of T + U equal to 0 and
assuming MU/Mt = 0 gives
movz(dv z/dt) (MU/Mz)(dz/dt). (2.9)
The expression on the left-hand side equals F zvz. The static force and potential energy are related
by
Fz MU/Mz, F LU. (2.10)
where the last expression is the general three-dimensional form written in terms of the vector
gradient operator,
L uxM/Mx uyM/My u zM/Mz. (2.11)
The quantities ux, uy, and uz are unit vectors along the Cartesian axes.
Potential energy is useful for treating electrostatic accelerators. Stationary particles at the
source can be considered to have high U (potential for gaining energy). This is converted to
kinetic energy as particles move through the acceleration column. If the potential function, U(x,
y, z), is known, focusing and accelerating forces acting on particles can be calculated.
13
Particle Dynamics
Newtonian mechanics assumes inherently that measurements of particle mass and time intervals
in frames with constant relative motion are equal: m' = m and dt' = dt. This is not true in a
relativistic description. Equations (2.12) combined with the assumption of invariant time
intervals imply that dx' = dx and dx'/dt' = dx/dt. The velocity transformations are
vx
vx, vy vy, v z v x, u.
(2.13)
Since m' = m, momenta obey similar equations. The last expression shows that velocities are
additive. The axial velocity in a third frame moving at velocity w with respect to the x' frame is
related to the original quantity by v z" = vz - u - w.
Equations (2.13) can be used to determine the transformation for kinetic energy,
T T ½mo(2uv zu 2). (2.14)
14
Particle Dynamics
Measured kinetic energy depends on the frame of reference. It can be either larger or smaller in a
moving frame, depending on the orientation of the velocities. This dependence is an important
factor in beam instabilities such as the two-stream instability.
1.The laws of mechanics and electromagnetism are identical in all inertial frames of
reference.
2.Measurements of the velocity of light give the same value in all inertial frames.
Only the theory of special relativity need be used for the material of this book. General relativity
incorporates the gravitational force, which is negligible in accelerator applications. The first
postulate is straightforward; it states that observers in any inertial frame would derive the same
laws of physics. An inertial frame is one that moves with constant velocity. A corollary is that it
is impossible to determine an absolute velocity. Relative velocities can be measured, but there is
no preferred frame of reference. The second postulate follows from the first. If the velocity of
light were referenced to a universal stationary frame, tests could be devised to measure absolute
velocity. Furthermore, since photons are the entities that carry the electromagnetic force, the
laws of electromagnetism would depend on the absolute velocity of the frame in which they
were derived. This means that the forms of the Maxwell equations and the results of
electrodynamic experiments would differ in frames in relative motion. Relativistic mechanics,
through postulate 2, leaves Maxwell's equations invariant under a coordinate transformation.
Note that invariance does not mean that measurements of electric and magnetic fields will be the
same in all frames. Rather, such measurements will always lead to the same governing
equations.
The validity of the relativistic postulates is determined by their agreement with experimental
measurements. A major implication is that no object can be induced to gain a measured velocity
faster than that of light,
c 2.998×108 m/s. (2.15)
This result is verified by observations in electron accelerators. After electrons gain a kinetic
energy above a few million electron volts, subsequent acceleration causes no increase in electron
velocity, even into the multi-GeV range. The constant velocity of relativistic particles is
important in synchronous accelerators, where an accelerating electromagnetic wave must be
15
Particle Dynamics
In Newtonian mechanics, observers in relative motion measure the same time interval for an
event (such as the decay of an unstable particle or the period of an atomic oscillation). This is
not consistent with the relativistic postulates. The variation of observed time intervals
(depending on the relative velocity) is called time dilation. The term dilation implies extending
or spreading out.
The relationship between time intervals can be demonstrated by the clock shown in Figure 2.3,
where double transits (back and forth) of a photon between mirrors with known spacing are
measured. This test could actually be performed using a photon pulse in a mode-locked laser. In
the rest frame (denoted by primed quantities), mirrors are separated by a distance D', and the
photon has no motion along the z axis. The time interval in the clock rest frame is
t
2D /c. (2.16)
If the same event is viewed by an observer moving past the clock at a velocity - u, the photon
appears to follow the triangular path shown in Figure 2.3b. According to postulate 2, the photon
still travels with velocity c but follows a longer path in a double transit. The distance traveled in
the laboratory frame is
16
Particle Dynamics
ct 2 D 2 (ut/2)2 ½,
or
t 2D/c
. (2.17)
(1 u 2/c 2)½
In order to compare time intervals, the relationship between mirror spacing in the stationary
and rest frames (D and D') must be known. A test to demonstrate that these are equal is
illustrated in Figure 2.4. Two scales have identical length when at rest. Electrical contacts at the
ends allow comparisons of length when the scales have relative motion. Observers are stationed
at thecenters of the scales. Since the transit times of electrical signals from the ends to the middle
are equal in all frames, the observers agree that the ends are aligned simultaneously. Measured
length may depend on the magnitude of the relative velocity, but it cannot depend on the
direction since there is no preferred frame or orientation in space. Let one of the scales move;
the observer in the scale rest frame sees no change of length. Assume, for the sake of argument,
that the stationary observer measures that the moving scale has shortened in the transverse
direction, D < D'. The situation is symmetric, so that the roles of stationary and rest frames can
17
Particle Dynamics
be interchanged. This leads to conflicting conclusions. Both observers feel that their clock is the
same length but the other is shorter. The only way to resolve the conflict is to take D = D'. The
key to the argument is that the observers agree on simultaneity of the comparison events
(alignment of the ends). This is not true in tests to compare axial length, as discussed in the next
section. Taking D = D', the relationship between time intervals is
t t
. (2.18)
(1u 2/c 2)½
Two dimensionless parameters are associated with objects moving with a velocity u in a
stationary frame:
u/c, (1u 2/c 2) ½.
(2.19)
(11/2)½. (2.21)
A time interval t measured in a frame moving at velocity u with respect to an object is related
to an interval measured 'in the rest frame of the object, t', by
t t .
(2.22)
For example, consider an energetic *+ pion (rest energy 140 MeV) produced by the interaction
of a high-energy proton beam from an accelerator with a target. If the pion moves at velocity
2.968 × 108 m/s in the stationary frame, it has a value of 0.990 and a corresponding value of
8.9. The pion is unstable, with a decay time of 2.5 × 10 -8 s at rest. Time dilation affects the decay
time measured when the particle is in motion. Newtonian mechanics predicts that the average
distance traveled from the target is only 7.5 in, while relativistic mechanics (in agreement with
observation) predicts a decay length of 61 in for the high-energy particles.
Another familiar result from relativistic mechanics is that a measurement of the length of a
moving object along the direction of its motion depends on its velocity. This phenomenon is
18
Particle Dynamics
Figure 2.5 Lorentz contraction of a photon clock. (a) Clock rest frame.
(bl) Stationary frame
known as Lorentz contraction. The effect can be demonstrated by considering the clock of
Section 2.6 oriented as shown in Figure 2.5.
The detector on the clock measures the double transit time of light between the mirrors. Pulses
are generated when a photon leaves and returns to the left-hand mirror. Measurement of the
single transit time would require communicating the arrival time of the photon at the right-hand
mirror to the timer at the left-hand mirror. Since the maximum speed with which this
information can be conveyed is the speed of light, this is equivalent to a measurement of the
double transit time. In the clock rest frame, the time interval is t' = 2L'/c.
To a stationary observer, the clock moves at velocity u. During the transit in which the photon
leaves the timer, the right-hand mirror moves away. The photon travels a longer distance in the
stationary frame before being reflected. Let t1, be the time for the photon to travel from the left
to right mirrors. During this time, the right-hand mirror moves a distance u At,. Thus,
ct1 (L ut1),
where L is the distance between mirrors measured in the stationary frame. Similarly, on the
reverse transit, the left-hand mirror moves toward the photon. The time to complete this leg is
t2 (L ut2)/c.
t t1 t2 L
L ,
cu cu
or
t 2L/c
.
1u /c2 2
19
Particle Dynamics
Time intervals cannot depend on the orientation of the clock, so that Eq. (2.22) holds. The above
equations imply that
L L /.
(2.23)
Thus, a moving object appears to have a shorter length than the same object at rest.
The acceleration of electrons to multi-GeV energies in a linear accelerator provides an
interesting example of a Lorentz contraction effect. Linear accelerators can maintain longitudinal
accelerating gradients of, at most, a few megavolts per meter. Lengths on the kilometer scale are
required to produce high-energy electrons. To a relativistic electron, the accelerator appears to
be rushing by close to the speed of light. The accelerator therefore has a contracted apparent
length of a few meters. The short length means that focusing lenses are often unnecessary in
electron linear accelerators with low-current beams.
Charged particle orbits are characterized by position and velocity at a certain time, ( x, v, t). In
Newtonian mechanics, these quantities differ if measured in a frame moving with a relative
velocity with respect to the frame of the first measurement. The relationship between quantities
was summarized in the Galilean transformations.
The Lorentz transformations are the relativistic equivalents of the Galilean transformations. In
the same manner as Section 2.4, the relative velocity of frames is taken in the z direction and the
z and z' axes are colinear. Time is measured from the instant that the two coordinate systems are
aligned (z = z' = 0 at t = t' = 0). The equations relating position and time measured in one frame
(unprimed quantities) to those measured in another frame moving with velocity u (primed
quantities) are
x x, (2.24)
y y, (2.25)
zut
z (zut), (2.26)
(1u 2/c 2)½
tuz/c 2
t t uz . (2.27)
(1u 2/c 2)½ c2
20
Particle Dynamics
The primed frame is not necessarily the rest frame of a particle. One major difference between
the Galilean and Lorentz transformations is the presence of the factor. Furthermore,
measurements of time intervals are different in frames in relative motion. Observers in both
frames may agree to set their clocks at t = t' = 0 (when z = z' = 0), but they will disagree on the
subsequent passage of time [Eq. (2.27)]. This also implies that events at different locations in z
that appear to be simultaneous in one frame of reference may not be simultaneous in another.
Equations (2.24)-(2.27) may be used to derive transformation laws for particle velocities. The
differentials of primed quantities are
dx dx, dy dy, dz (dzudt),
In the special case where a particle has only a longitudinal velocity equal to u, the particle is at
rest in the primed frame. For this condition, time dilation and Lorentz contraction proceed
directly from the above equations.
Velocity in the primed frame is dx'/dt'. Substituting from above,
vx
vx . (2.28)
(1uvz/c 2)
When a particle has no longitudinal motion in the primed frame (i.e., the primed frame is the rest
frame and vz = u), the transformation of transverse velocity is
vx v x. (2.29)
This result follows directly from time dilation. Transverse distances are the same in both frames,
but time intervals are longer in the stationary frame.
The transformation of axial particle velocities can be found by substitution for dz' and dt',
dz
dt (dz/dtu) ,
dt dt (1uvz/c 2)
or
vzu
vz . (2.30)
1uvz/c 2
21
Particle Dynamics
This can be inverted to give
v z u
vz . (2.31)
1uv z /c
2
Equation (2.31) is the relativistic velocity addition law. If a particle has a velocity v z' in the
primed frame, then Eq. (2.31) gives observed particle velocity in a frame moving at -u. For v z'
approaching c, inspection of Eq. (2.31) shows that v z also approaches c. The implication is that
there is no frame of reference in which a particle is observed to move faster than the velocity of
light. A corollary is that no matter how much a particle's kinetic energy is increased, it will never
be observed to move faster than c. This property has important implications in particle
acceleration. For example, departures from the Newtoniain velocity addition law set a limit on the
maximum energy available from cyclotrons. In high-power, multi-MeV electron extractors,
saturation of electron velocity is an important factor in determining current propagation limits.
The motion of high-energy particles must be described by relativistic laws of motion. Force is
related to momentum by the same equation used in Newtonian mechanics
dp/dt F. (2.32)
This equation is consistent with the Lorentz transformations if the momentum is defined as
p mov. (2.33)
The difference from the Newtonian expression is the factor. It is determined by the total
particle velocity v observed in the stationary frame, = (1-v 2/c2)-½. One interpretation of Eq.
(2.33) is that a particle's effective mass increases as it approaches the speed of light. The
relativistic mass is related to the rest mass by
m m o . (2.34)
The relativistic mass grows without limit as v z approaches c. Thus, the momentum increases
although there is a negligible increase in velocity.
In order to maintain Eq. (2.6), relating changes of energy to movement under the influence of a
force, particle energy must be defined as
22
Particle Dynamics
E moc 2. (2.35)
The energy is not zero for a stationary particle, but approaches m oc2, which is called the rest
energy. The kinetic energy (the portion of energy associated with motion) is given by
T E m oc 2 moc 2(1). (2.36)
Two useful relationships proceed directly from Eqs. (2.20). (2.33), and (2.35):
E c 2p 2 mo2c 4, (2.37)
The significance of the rest energy and the region of validity of Newtonian mechanics is
clarified by expanding Eq. (2.35) in limit that v/c « 1.
m oc 2
E moc 2 (1 v 2/c 2 ...). (2.39)
1v 2/c 2
The Newtonian expression for T [Eq. (2.8)] is recovered in the second term. The first term is a
constant component of the total energy, which does not affect Newtonian dynamics. Relativistic
expressions must be used when T $ moc2. The rest energy plays an important role in relativistic
mechanics.
Rest energy is usually given in units of electron volts. Electrons are relativistic when T is in the
MeV range, while ions (with a much larger mass) have rest energies in the GeV range. Figure 2.6
plots for particles of interest for accelerator applications as a function of kinetic energy. The
Newtonian result is also shown. The graph shows saturation of velocity at high energy and the
energy range where departures from Newtonian results are significant.
23
Particle Dynamics
24
Particle Dynamics
A relativistically correct description of particle motion is usually more difficult to formulate and
solve than one involving Newtonian equations. In the study of the transverse motions of charged
particle beams, it is often possible to express the problem in the form of Newtonian equations
with the rest mass replaced by the relativistic mass. This approximation is valid when the beam is
well directed so that transverse velocity components are small compared to the axial velocity of
beam particles. Consider the effect of focusing forces applied in the x direction to confine
particles along the z axis. Particles make small angles with this axis, so that v x is always small
compared to vz. With F = ux Fx, Eq. (2.32) can be written in the form
d/dt dvx/dt
movx F x. (2.40)
vx
When vx « vz, relative changes in resulting from the transverse motion are small. In Eq. (2.40),
the first term in parenthesis is much less than the second, so that the equation of motion is
approximately
dvx
mo F x. (2.41)
dt
25
Electric and Magnetic Forces
3
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Electromagnetic forces determine all essential features of charged particle acceleration and
transport. This chapter reviews basic properties of electromagnetic forces. Advanced topics, such
as particle motion with time-varying forces, are introduced throughout the book as they are
needed.
It is convenient to divide forces between charged particles into electric and magnetic
components. The relativistic theory of electrodynamics shows that these are manifestations of a
single force. The division into electric and magnetic interactions depends on the frame of
reference in which particles are observed.
Section 3.1 introduces electromagnetic forces by considering the mutual interactions between
pairs of stationary charges and current elements. Coulomb's law and the law of Biot and Savart
describe the forces. Stationary charges interact through the electric force. Charges in motion
constitute currents. When currents are present, magnetic forces also act.
Although electrodynamics is described completely by the summation of forces between
individual particles, it is advantageous to adopt the concept of fields. Fields (Section 3.2) are
mathematical constructs. They summarize the forces that could act on a test charge in a region
with a specified distribution of other charges. Fields characterize the electrodynamic properties of
the charge distribution. The Maxwell equations (Section 3.3) are direct relations between electric
and magnetic fields. The equations determine how fields arise from distributed charge and current
and specify how field components are related to each other.
26
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Electric and magnetic fields are often visualized as vector lines since they obey equations similar
to those that describe the flow of a fluid. The field magnitude (or strength) determines the density
of tines. In this interpretation, the Maxwell equations are fluidlike equations that describe the
creation and flow of field lines. Although it is unnecessary to assume the physical existence
of field lines, the concept is a powerful aid to intuit complex problems.
The Lorentz law (Section 3.2) describes electromagnetic forces on a particle as a function of
fields and properties of the test particle (charge, position and velocity). The Lorentz force is the
basis for all orbit calculations in this book. Two useful subsidiary functions of field quantities, the
electrostatic and vector potentials, are discussed in Section 3.4. The electrostatic potential (a
function of position) has a clear physical interpretation. If a particle moves in a static electric field,
the change in kinetic energy is equal to its charge multiplied by the change in electrostatic
potential. Motion between regions of different potential is the basis of electrostatic acceleration.
The interpretation of the vector potential is not as straightforward. The vector potential will
become more familiar through applications in subsequent chapters.
Section 3.6 describes an important electromagnetic force calculation, motion of a charged
particle in a uniform magnetic field. Expressions for the relativistic equations of motion in
cylindrical coordinates are derived in Section 3.5 to apply in this calculation.
The simplest example of electromagnetic forces, the mutual force between two stationary point
charges, is illustrated in Figure 3.1a. The force is directed along the line joining the two particles,
r. In terms of ur (a vector of unit length aligned along r), the force on particle 2 from particle 1 is
1 q1q2ur
F(1Y2) (newtons). (3.1)
4πεo r2
The value of εo is
εo 8.85×1012 (As/Vm).
27
Electric and Magnetic Forces
can be neutralized by adding particles of opposite-charge sign, leaving only the effects of current.
This is true in a metal wire. Electrons move through a stationary distribution of positive metal
ions. The force between currents is described by the law of Biot and Savart. If i1dl1 and i2dl2 are
current elements (e.g., small sections of wires) oriented as in Figure 3.1b, the force on element 2
from element 1 is
µ o i2dl2×(i1dl1×ur)
dF . (3.2)
4π r2
Equation (3.2) is more complex than (3.1); the direction of the force is determined by vector cross
products. Resolution of the cross products for the special case of parallel current elements is
shown in Figure 3.1c. Equation (3.2) becomes
µ o i1i2dl1dl2
dF(1Y2) u r.
4π r2
Currents in the same direction attract one another. This effect is important in high-current
relativistic electron beams. Since all electrons travel in the same direction, they constitute parallel
current elements, and the magnetic force is attractive. If the electric charge is neutralized by ions,
the magnetic force dominates and relativistic electron beams can be self-confined.
28
Electric and Magnetic Forces
F j 4πε1
n o
q oqnurn
2
rn
,
where qo is the charge of a beam particle and the sum is taken over all the charges on the
electrodes (Fig. 3.2).
In principle, particle orbits can be determined by performing the above calculation at each point
of each orbit. A more organized approach proceeds from recognizing that (1) the potential force
on a test particle at any position is a function of the distribution of external charges and (2) the net
force is proportional to the charge of the test particle. The function F(x)/qo characterizes the
action of the electrode charges. It can be used in subsequent calculations to determine the orbit of
any test particle. The function is called the electric field and is defined by
E(x) j 4πε1
n o
qnurn
rn
2
. (3.3)
29
Electric and Magnetic Forces
The sum is taken over all specified charges. It may include freely moving charges in conductors,
bound charges in dielectric materials, and free charges in space (such as other beam particles). If
the specified charges move, the electric field may also be a function of time-, in this case, the
equations that determine fields are more complex than Eq. (3.3).
The electric field is usually taken as a smoothly varying function of position because of the l/r2
factor in the sum of Eq. (3.3). The smooth approximation is satisfied if there is a large number of
specified charges, and if the test charge is far from the electrodes compared to the distance
between specified charges. As an example, small electrostatic deflection plates with an applied
voltage of 100 V may have more than 10" electrons on the surfaces. The average distance
between electrons on the conductor surface is typically less than 1 µm.
When E is known, the force on a test particle with charge qo as a function of position is
This relationship can be inverted for measurements of electric fields. A common nonperturbing
technique is to direct a charged particle beam through a region and infer electric field by the
acceleration or deflection of the beam.
A summation over current elements similar to Eq. (3.3) can be performed using the law of Biot
and Savart to determine forces that can act on a differential test element of current. This function
is called the magnetic field B. (Note that in some texts, the term magnetic field is reserved for the
quantity H, and B is called the magnetic induction.) In terms of the field, the magnetic force on idl
is
dF idl × B. (3.5)
Equation (3.5) involves the vector cross product. The force is perpendicular to both the current
element and magnetic field vector.
An expression for the total electric and magnetic forces on a single particle is required to treat
beam dynamics. The differential current element, idl, must be related to the motion of a single
charge. The correspondence is illustrated in Figure 3.3. The test particle has charge q and velocity
v. It moves a distance dl in a time dt = *dl*/*v*. The current (across an arbitrary cross section)
represented by this motion is q/(*dl*/*v*). A moving charged particle acts like a current element
with
30
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Equations (3.4) and (3.6) can be combined into a single expression (the Lorentz
force law)
F(x,t) q (E v × B). (3.7)
Although we derived Equation (3.7) for static fields, it holds for time-dependent fields as well.
The Lorentz force law contains all the information on the electromagnetic force necessary to treat
charged particle acceleration. With given fields, charged particle orbits are calculated by
combining the Lorentz force expression with appropriate equations of motion. In summary, the
field description has the following advantages.
1. Fields provide an organized method to treat particle orbits in the presence of large
numbers of other charges. The effects of external charges are summarized in a single,
continuous function.
2. Fields are themselves described by equations (Maxwell equations). The field concept
extends beyond the individual particle description. Chapter 4 will show that field lines
obey geometric relationships. This makes it easier to visualize complex force distributions
and to predict charged particle orbits.
3. Identification of boundary conditions on field quantities sometimes makes it possible to
circumvent difficult calculations of charge distributions in dielectrics and on conducting
boundaries.
4. It is easier to treat time-dependent electromagnetic forces through direct solution for
field quantities.
The following example demonstrates the correspondence between fields and charged particle
distributions. The parallel plate capacitor geometry is shown in Figure 3.4. Two infinite parallel
metal plates are separated by a distance d. A battery charges the plates by transferring electrons
from one plate to the other. The excess positive charge and negative electron charge spread
uniformerly on the inside surfaces. If this were not true, there would be electric fields inside the
metal. The problem is equivalent to calculating the electric fields from two thin sheets of charge,
31
Electric and Magnetic Forces
as shown in Figure 3.4. The surface charge densities, ± σ (in coulombs per square meter), are
equal in magnitude and opposite in sign.
A test particle is located between the plates a distance x from the positive electrode. Figure 3.4
defines a convenient coordinate system. The force from charge in the differential annulus
illustrated is repulsive. There is force only in the x direction; by symmetry transverse forces
cancel. The annulus has charge (2πρ dρ σ) and is a distance (ρ2 + x2)½ from the test charge. The
total force [from Eq. (3.1)] is multiplied by cosθ to give the x component.
2πρ dρ σqo cosθ
dFx ,
4πεo (ρ2x 2)
where cosθ = x/(ρ2 + x2)½. Integrating the above expression over ρ from 0 to 4 gives the net force
32
Electric and Magnetic Forces
"
ρ dρ σqo x q oσ
F
m 2ε
0 o (ρ2x 2)3/2
2εo
. (3.8)
A similar result is obtained for the force from the negative-charge layer. It is attractive and adds
to the positive force. The electric field is found by adding the forces and dividing by the charge of
the test particle
E x(x) (F F )/q σ/εo. (3.9)
The electric field between parallel plates is perpendicular to the plates and has uniform magnitude
at all positions. Approximations to the parallel plate geometry are used in electrostatic deflectors;
particles receive the same impulse independent of their position between the plates.
The Maxwell equations describe how electric and magnetic fields arise from currents and charges.
They are continuous differential equations and are most conveniently written if charges and
currents are described by continuous functions rather than by discrete quantities. The source
functions are the charge density, ρ(x, y, z, t) and current density j(x, y, z, t).
The charge density has units of coulombs per cubic meters (in MKS units). Charges are carried
by discrete particles, but a continuous density is a good approximation if there are large numbers
of charged particles in a volume element that is small compared to the minimum scale length of
interest. Discrete charges can be included in the Maxwell equation formulation by taking a charge
density of the form ρ = qδ[x - xo(t)]. The delta function has the following properties:
δ(xxo) 0, if x
x o,
(3.10)
m m m
dx dy dz δ(xx o) 1.
33
Electric and Magnetic Forces
the current reading is maximized. The orientation of the probe gives the direction, and the current
divided by the area gives the magnitude of the current density.
The general form of the Maxwell equations in MKS units is
L×E MB/Mt, (3.11)
L@B 0. (3.14)
Although these equations will not be derived, there will be many opportunities in succeeding
chapters to discuss their physical implications. Developing an intuition and ability to visualize field
distributions is essential for understanding accelerators. Characteristics of the Maxwell equations
in the static limit and the concept of field lines will be treated in the next chapter.
No distinction has been made in Eqs. (3.1l)-(3.14) between various classes of charges that may
constitute the charge density and current density. The Maxwell equations are sometimes written in
terms of vector quantities D and H. These are subsidiary quantities in which the contributions
from charges and currents in linear dielectric or magnetic materials have been extracted. They
will be discussed in Chapter 5.
The electrostatic potential is a scalar function of the electric field. In other words, it is specified by
a single value at every point in space. The physical meaning of the potential can be demonstrated
by considering the motion of a charged particle between two parallel plates (Fig. 3.6). We want to
find the change in energy of a particle that enters that space between the plates with kinetic energy
34
Electric and Magnetic Forces
T. Section 3.2 has shown that the electric field Ex, is uniform. The equation of motion is therefore
dpx/dt Fx qEx.
The relativistic energy E of a particle is related to momentum by Eq. (2.37). Taking the derivative
in x of both sides of Eq. (2.37) gives
c 2px dpx/dx E dE/dx.
The final form on the right-hand side results from substituting Eq. (2.38) for the term in brackets.
The expression derived in Eq. (3.15) confirms the result quoted in Section 2.9. The right-hand
side is dpx/dt which is equal to the force Fx. Therefore, the relativistic form of the energy [Eq.
(2.35)] is consistent with Eq. (2.6). The integral of Eq. (3.15) between the plates is
∆E q
m dxE .
x (3.16)
35
Electric and Magnetic Forces
The change in potential along a path in a region of electric fields is equal to the integral of electric
field tangent to the path times differential elements of pathlength. Thus, by analogy with the
example of the parallel plates [Eq. (3.1 6)] ∆E = -q∆φ. If electric fields are static, the total energy
of a particle can be written
E m oc 2 To q(φφo), (3.18)
or
γ 1 qφ/m oc 2. (3.19)
Finally, the static electric field can be rewritten in the differential form,
E Lφ (Mφ/Mx) ux (Mφ/My) uy (Mφ/Mz) uz
(3.20)
Ex u x Ey uy Ez u z.
If the potential is known as a function of position, the three components of electric field can be
found by taking spatial derivatives (the gradient operation). The defining equation for electrostatic
fields [Eq. (3.3)] can be combined with Eq. (3.20) to give an expression to calculate potential
directly from a specified distribution of charges
φ(x) j q|x/4xπε|
n
n
n
o
. (3.21)
36
Electric and Magnetic Forces
The denominator is the magnitude of the distance from the test charge to the nth charge. The
integral form of this equation in terms of charge density is
ρ(x )
mmm
1
φ(x) d 3x . (3.22)
4πεo |xx |
Although Eq. 3.22 can be used directly to find the potential, we will usually use differential
equations derived from the Maxwell equations combined with boundary conditions for such
calculations (Chapter 4). The vector potential A is another subsidiary quantity that can be
valuable for computing magnetic fields. It is a vector function related to the magnetic field
through the vector curl operation
B L × A. (3.23)
This relationship is general, and holds for time-dependent fields. We will use A only for static
calculations. In this case, the vector potential can be written as a summation over source current
density
µo j(x )
A(x) d 3x . (3.24)
4π mmm |xx |
Compared to the electrostatic potential, the vector potential does not have a straightforward
physical interpretation. Nonetheless, it is a useful computational device and it is helpful for the
solution of particle orbits in systems with geometry symmetry. In cylindrical systems it is
proportional to the number of magnetic field lines encompassed within particle orbits (Section
7.4).
The static concepts already introduced must be supplemented by two major properties of
time-dependent fields for a complete and consistent theory of electrodynamics. The first is the fact
that time-varying magnetic fields lead to electric fields. This is the process of magnetic induction.
The relationship between inductively generated electric fields and changing magnetic flux is stated
in Faraday's law. This effect is the basis of betatrons and linear induction accelerators. The second
phenomenon, first codified by Maxwell, is that a time-varying electric field leads to a virtual
current in space, the displacement current. We can verify that displacement currents "exist" by
measuring the magnetic fields they generate. A current monitor such as a Rogowski loop
enclosing an empty space with changing electric fields gives a current reading. The combination of
inductive fields with the displacement current leads to predictions of electromagnetic oscillations.
37
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Propagating and stationary electromagnetic waves are the bases for RF (radio-frequency) linear
accelerators.
Faraday's law is illustrated in Figure 3.7a. A wire loop defines a surface S. The magnetic flux ψ
passing through the loop is given by
ψ B@n dS, (3.25)
mm
where n is a unit vector normal to S and dS is a differential element of surface area. Faraday's law
states that a voltage is induced around the loop when the magnetic flux changes according to
V dψ/dt. (3.26)
The time derivative of ψ is the total derivative. Changes in ψ can arise from a time-varying field at
38
Electric and Magnetic Forces
constant loop position, motion of the loop to regions of different field magnitude in a static field,
or a combination of the two.
The term induction comes from induce, to produce an effect without a direct action. This is
illustrated by the example of Figure 3.7b. an inductively coupled plasma source. (A plasma is a
conducting medium of hot, ionized gas.) Such a device is often used as an ion source for
accelerators. In this case, the plasma acts as the loop. Currents driven in the plasma by changing
magnetic flux ionize and heat the gas through resistive effects. The magnetic flux is generated by
windings outside the plasma driven by a high-frequency ac power supply. The power supply
couples energy to the plasma through the intermediary of the magnetic fields. The advantage of
inductive coupling is that currents can be generated without immersed electrodes that may
introduce contaminants.
The sign convention of Faraday's law implies that the induced plasma currents flow in the
direction opposite to those of the driving loop. Inductive voltages always drive reverse currents in
conducting bodies immersed in the magnetic field; therefore, oscillating magnetic fields are
reduced or canceled inside conductors. Materials with this property are called diamagnetic.
Inductive effects appear in the Maxwell equations on the right-hand side of Eq. (3.11).
Application of the Stokes theorem (Section 4.1) shows that Eqs. (3.11) and (3.26) are equivalent.
The concept of displacement current can be understood by reference to Figure 3.7c. An electric
circuit consists of an ac power supply connected to parallel plates. According to Eq. 3.9, the
power supply produces an electric field E. between the plates by moving an amount of charge
Q εoE xA.
where A is the area of the plates. Taking the time derivative, the current through the power supply
is related to the change in electric field by
i εo A (ME x/Mt). (3.27)
The partial derivative of Eq. (3.27) signifies that the variation results from the time variation of Ex
with the plates at constant position. Suppose we considered the plate assembly as a black box
without knowledge that charge was stored inside. In order to guarantee continuity of current
around the circuit, we could postulate a virtual current density between the plates given bv
jd εo (MEx/Mt). (3.28)
This quantity, the displacement current density, is more than just an abstraction to account for a
change in space charge inside the box. The experimentally observed fact is that there are magnetic
fields around the plate assembly that identical to those that would be produced by a real wore
connecting the plates and carrying the current specified by Eq. (3.27) (see Section 4.6). There is
thus a parallelism of time-dependent effects in electromagnetism. Time-varving magnetic fields
39
Electric and Magnetic Forces
produce electric fields, and changing electric fields produce magnetic fields. The coupling and
interchange of electric and magnetic field energy is the basis of electromagnetic oscillations.
Displacement currents or, equivalently, the generation of magnetic fields by time-varying electric
fields, enter the Maxwell equations on the right side of Eq. (3.12). Noting that
c 1/ εoµ o , (3.29)
we see that the displacement current is added to any real current to determine the net magnetic
field.
Beams with cylindrical symmetry are encountered frequently in particle accelerators. For example,
electron beams used in applications such as electron microscopes or cathode ray tubes have
cylindrical cross sections. Section 3.7 will introduce an important application of the Lorentz force,
circular motion in a uniform magnetic field. In order to facilitate this calculation and to derive
useful formulas for subsequent chapters, the relativistic equations of motion for particles in
cylindrical coordinates are derived in this section.
Cylindrical coordinates, denoted by (r, 0, z), are based on curved coordinate lines. We
recognize immediately that equations of the form dpr/dt = Fr are incorrect. This form implies that
particles subjected to no radial force move in a circular orbit (r = constant, dpr/dt = 0). This is not
consistent with Newton's first law. A simple method to derive the proper equations is to
express dp/dt = F in Cartesian coordinates and make a coordinate transformation by direct
substitution.
Reference to Figure 3.8 shows that the following equations relate Cartesian coordinates to
cylindrical coordinates sharing a common origin and a common z axis, and with the line (r, 0, 0)
lying on the x axis:
x r cosθ, y r sinθ, z z, (3.30)
and
Motion along the z axis is described by the same equations in both frames, dpz/dt = Fz. We will
thus concentrate on equations in the (r, 0) plane. The Cartesian equation of motion in the x
direction is
40
Electric and Magnetic Forces
The equation must hold at all positions, or at any value of θ. Thus, terms involving cosθ and sinθ
must be separately equal. This yields the cylindrical equations of motion
dp r/dt Fr [pθ dθ/dt], (3.33)
The quantities in brackets are correction terms for cylindrical coordinates. Equations (3.33) and
(3.34) have the form of the Cartesian equations if the bracketed terms are considered as virtual
forces. The extra term in the radial equation is called the centrifugal force, and can be rewritten
Centrigfugal force γmovθ2/r, (3.35)
41
Electric and Magnetic Forces
noting that vθ = rdθ/dt. The bracketed term in the azimuthal equation is the Coriolis force, and can
be written
Coriolis force γmovrvθ/r. 3.36
Figure 3.9 illustrates the physical interpretation of the virtual forces. In the first example, a
particle moves on a force-free, straight-line orbit. Viewed in the cylindrical coordinate system, the
particle (with no initial vr) appears to accelerate radially, propelled by the centrifugal force. At
large radius, when vθ approaches 0, the acceleration appears to stop, and the particle moves
outward at constant velocity. The Coriolis force is demonstrated in the second example. A
particle from large radius moves in a straight line past the origin with nonzero impact parameter.
42
Electric and Magnetic Forces
The azimuthal velocity, which was initially zero, increases as the particle moves inward with
negative u, and decreases as the particle moves out. The observer in the cylindrical coordinate
system notes a negative and then positive azimuthal acceleration.
Cylindrical coordinates appear extensively in accelerator theory. Care must be exercised to
identify properly the orientation of the coordinates. For example, the z axis is sometimes aligned
with the beam axis, white in other cases, the z axis may be along a symmetry axes of the
accelerator. In this book, to avoid excessive notation, (r, 0, z) will be used for all cylindrical
coordinate systems. Illustrations will clarify the geometry of each case as it is introduced.
Motion of a charged particle in a uniform magnetic field directed along the z axis, B = Bouz, is
illustrated in Figure 3.10. Only the magnetic component of the Lorentz force is included. The
equation of motion is
dp/dt d(γmov)/dt q v × B. (3.37)
By the nature of the cross product, the magnetic force is always perpendicular to the velocity of
43
Electric and Magnetic Forces
the particle. There is no force along a differential element of pathlength, dx. Thus, Fdx = 0.
According to Eq. (2.6), magnetic fields perform no work and do not change the kinetic energy of
the particle. In Eq. (3.37), γ is constant and can be removed from the time derivative.
Because the force is perpendicular to B, there is no force along the z axis. Particles move in this
direction with constant velocity. There is a force in the x-y plane. It is of constant magnitude
(since the total particle velocity cannot change), and it is perpendicular to the particle motion. The
projection of particle motion in the x-y plane is therefore a circle. The general three-dimensional
particle orbit is a helix.
If we choose a cylindrical coordinate system with origin at the center of the circular orbit, then
dpr/dt = 0, and there is no azimuthal force. The azimuthal equation of motion [Eq. (3.34)] is
satisfied trivially with these conditions. The radial equation [Eq. (3.33)] is satisfied when the
magnetic force balances the centrifugal force, or
qvθB o γmovθ2/r.
This quantity is called the gyroradius. It is large for high-momentum particles; the gyroradius is
reduced by applying stronger magnetic field. The point about which the particle revolves is called
the gyrocenter. Another important quantity is the angular frequency of revolution of the particle,
the gyrofrequency. This is given by ωg = vθ/r, or
ωg |q|B o/γmo. (3.39)
where xo and yo are the coordinates of the gyrocenter. The gyroradius and gyrofrequency arise in
all calculations involving particle motion in magnetic fields. Magnetic confinement of particles in
circular orbits forms the basis for recirculating high-energy accelerators, such as the cyclotron,
synchrotron, microtron, and betatron.
44
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
4
Steady-State Electric and Magnetic Fields
A knowledge of electric and magnetic field distributions is required to determine the orbits of
charged particles in beams. In this chapter, methods are reviewed for the calculation of fields
produced by static charge and current distributions on external conductors. Static field
calculations appear extensively in accelerator theory. Applications include electric fields in beam
extractors and electrostatic accelerators, magnetic fields in bending magnets and spectrometers,
and focusing forces of most lenses used for beam transport.
Slowly varying fields can be approximated by static field calculations. A criterion for the static
approximation is that the time for light to cross a characteristic dimension of the system in
question is short compared to the time scale for field variations. This is equivalent to the condition
that connected conducting surfaces in the system are at the same potential. Inductive accelerators
(such as the betatron) appear to violate this rule, since the accelerating fields (which may rise over
many milliseconds) depend on time-varying magnetic flux. The contradiction is removed by noting
that the velocity of light may be reduced by a factor of 100 in the inductive media used in these
accelerators. Inductive accelerators are treated in Chapters 10 and 11. The study of rapidly
varying vacuum electromagnetic fields in geometries appropriate to particle acceleration is
deferred to Chapters 14 and 15.
The static form of the Maxwell equations in regions without charges or currents is reviewed in
Section 4.1. In this case, the electrostatic potential is determined by a second-order differential
equation, the Laplace equation. Magnetic fields can be determined from the same equation by
defining a new quantity, the magnetic potential. Examples of numerical (Section 4.2) and analog
45
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
(Section 4.3) methods for solving the Laplace equation are discussed. The numerical technique of
successive overrelaxation is emphasized since it provides insight into the physical content of the
Laplace equation. Static electric field calculations with field sources are treated in Section 4.4.
The classification of charge is emphasized; a clear understanding of this classification is essential
to avoid confusion when studying space charge and plasma effects in beams. The final sections
treat the calculation of magnetic fields from specific current distributions through direct solution
of the Maxwell equations (Section 4.5) and through the intermediary of the vector potential
(Section 4.6).
When there are no charges or currents present. the Maxwell equations have the form
L@E 0, (4.1)
L×E 0, (4.2)
L@B 0, (4.3)
L×B 0. (4.4)
These equations resolve into two decoupled and parallel sets for electric fields [Eqs. (4.1) and
(4.2)] and magnetic fields [Eqs. (4.3) and (4.4)]. Equations (4.1)-(4.4) hold in regions such as that
shown in Figure 4.1. The charges or currents that produce the fields are external to the volume of
interest. In electrostatic calculations, the most common calculation involves charge distributed on
the surfaces of conductors at the boundaries of a vacuum region.
Equations (4.1)-(4.4) have straightforward physical interpretations. Similar conclusions hold for
both sets, so we will concentrate on electric fields. The form for the divergence equation [Eq.
(4.1)] in Cartesian coordinates is
MEx/Mx ME y/My MEz/Mz 0. (4.5)
An example is illustrated in Figure 4.2. The electric field is a function of x and y. The meaning of
the divergence equation can be demonstrated by calculating the integral of the normal electric
field over the surface of a volume with cross-sectional area A and thickness ∆x. The integral over
the left-hand side is AEx(x). If the electric field is visualized in terms of vector field lines, the
integral is the flux of lines into the volume through the left-hand face. The electric field line flux
out of the volume through the right-hand face is AEx(x + ∆x).
46
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
When the electric field is a smooth function of x, variations about a point can be approximated by
a Taylor expansion. The right-hand integral is A[Ex(x) + ∆x MEx/Mx]. The condition that MEx/Mx =
0 leads to a number of parallel conclusions.
1.The integrals of normal electric field over both faces of the volume are equal.
2.All field lines that enter the volume must exit.
3.The net flux of electric field lines into the volume is zero.
4. No field lines originate inside the volume.
Equation (4.6) states that the integral of the divergence of a vector quantity over all points of a
volume is equal to the surface integral of the normal component of the vector over the surface of
the volume. With no enclosed charges, field lines must flow through a volume as shown in Figure
4.3. The same holds true for magnetic fields. The main difference between electric and magnetic
fields is that magnetic field lilies have zero divergence under all conditions, even in regions with
currents. This means that magnetic field lines never emanate from a source point. They either
extend indefinitely or are self-connected.
47
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The curl equations determine another geometric property of field lines. This
property proceeds from the Stokes theorem, which states that
E@dl (L×E)@n da. (4.7)
m mm
The quantities in Eq. (4.7) are defined in Figure 4.4; S is a two-dimensional surface in space and
dl is a length element oriented along the circumference. The integral on the left-hand side is taken
48
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
around the periphery. The right-hand side is the surface integral of the component of the vector v
x E normal to the surface. If the curl is nonzero at a point in space, then field lines form closed
loops around the point. Figure 4.5 'illustrates points in vector fields with zero and nonzero curl..
The study of magnetic fields around current-carrying wires (Section 4.5) will illustrate a vector
function with a nonzero curl.
49
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The usual rule for evaluating a determinant is used. The expansion of the above expression is
MEz ME y ME x MEz MEy MEx
L× u x uy uz . (4.9)
My Mz Mz Mx Mx My
The electrostatic potential function φ can be defined when electric fields are static. The electric
field is the gradient of this function,
E Lφ. (4.10)
or
L2φ M2φ/Mx 2 M2φ/My 2 M2φ/Mz 2 0. (4.11)
The operator symbolized by L2 in Eq. (4.11) is called the Laplacian operator. Equation (4.11) is
the Laplace equation. It determines the variation of φ (and hence E) in regions with no charge.
50
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The curl equation is automatically satisfied through the vector identity L×(Lφ)= 0.
The main reason for using the Laplace equation rather than solving for electric fields directly is
that boundary conditions can be satisfied more easily. The difficulty in solving the Maxwell
equations directly lies in determining boundary conditions for vector fields on surrounding
conducting surfaces. The electrostatic potential is a scalar function; we can show that the
potential is a constant on a connected metal surface. Metals contain free electrons; an electric field
parallel to the surface of a metal drives large currents. Electrons in the metal adjust their positions
to produce a parallel component of field equal and opposite to the applied field. Thus, at a metal
surface E(parallel) = 0 and E(normal) is unspecified. Equation (4.10) implies that electric field
lines are always normal to surfaces of constant φ. This comes about because the gradient of a
function (which indicates the direction in which a function has maximum rate of variation) must
always be perpendicular to surfaces on which the function is constant (Fig. 4.6). Since a metal
surface is everywhere perpendicular to the electric field, it must be an equipotential surface with
the boundary condition φ = constant.
51
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
(a) Field lines are continuous. All lines that enter a volume eventually exit.
(b)Field lines do not kink, curl, or cross themselves.
(c)Field lines do not cross each other, since this would result in a point of infinite flux.
(d)Field lines are normal to surfaces of constant electrostatic potential.
(e) Electric fields are perpendicular to metal surfaces.
Fairly accurate electric field sketches can be made utilizing the laminar flow nature of electric field
lines and the above properties. Even with the availability of digital computers, it is valuable to
generate initial sketches of field patterns. This saves time and gives insight into the nature of
fields. An example of an electrostatic field pattern generated by the method of squares is shown in
52
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Figure 4.7. In this method, a number of equipotential lines between metal surfaces are sketched.
Electric field lines normal to the equipotential lines and electrodes are added. Since the density of
field lines is proportional to the distance between equipotentials, a valid final solution results when
the elements between equipotential and field lines approach as close as possible to squares. The
process is iterative and requires only some drawing ability and an eraser.
It is also possible to define formally a magnetic potential Um such that
L2Um 0. (4.12)
The function Um should not be confused with the vector potential. Methods used for electric field
problems in source-free regions can also be applied to determine magnetic fields. We will defer
use of Eq. (4.12) to Chapter 5. An understanding of magnetic materials is necessary to determine
boundary conditions for Um.
A similar expression holds for the derivative at x - ∆/2. The second derivative is the difference of
derivatives divided by ∆, or
M Mφ(x) 1 Mφ(x∆/2) Mφ(x∆/2)
Mx Mx ∆ Mx Mx
53
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Combining expressions,
Similar expressions can be found for the M2φ/My2 and M2φ/Mz2 terms. Setting L2φ1 = 0 implies
In summary, (1) Φ(i, j, k) is a discrete function defined as mesh points, (2) the interpolation of
Φ(i, j, k) approximates φ(x, y, z), and (3) if φ(x, y, z) satisfies the Laplace equation, then Φ(i, j, k)
is determined by Eq. (4.15).
According to Eq. (4.15), individual values of Φ(i, j, k) are the average of their six neighboring
54
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
points. Solving the Laplace equation is an averaging process; the solution gives the smoothest
flow of field lines. The net length of all field lines is minimized consistent with the boundary
conditions. Therefore, the solution represents the state with minimum field energy (Section 5.6).
There are many numerical methods to solve the finite difference form for the Laplace equation.
We will concentrate on the method of successive ouerrelaxation. Although it is not the fastest
method of solution, it has the closest relationship to the physical content of the Laplace equation.
To illustrate the method, the problem will be formulated on a two-dimensional, square mesh.
Successive overrelaxation is an iterative approach. A trial solution is corrected until it is close to a
valid solution. Correction consists of sweeping through all values of an intermediate solution to
calculate residuals, defined by
If R(i, j) is zero at all points, then Φ(i, j) is the desired solution. An intermediate result can be
improved by adding a correction factor proportional to R(i, j),
The value ω = 1 is the obvious choice, but in practice values of ω between 1 and 2 produce a
faster convergence (hence the term overrelaxation). The succession of approximations resembles
a time-dependent solution for a system with damping, relaxing to its lowest energy state. The
elastic sheet analog (described in Section 4.3) is a good example of this interpretation. Figure 4.9
shows intermediate solutions for a one-dimensional mesh with 20 points and with ω = 1.00.
Information on the boundary with elevated potential propagates through the mesh.
The method of successive overrelaxation is quite slow for large numbers of points. The number
of calculations on an n x n mesh is proportional to n2. Furthermore, the number of iterations
necessary to propagate errors out of the mesh is proportional to n. The calculation time increases
as n3 . A BASIC algorithm to relax internal points in a 40 x 48 point array is listed in Table 4.1.
Corrections are made continuously during the sweep. Sweeps are first carried out along the x
direction and then along the y direction to allow propagation of errors in both directions. The
electrostatic field distribution in Figure 4.10 was calculated by a relaxation program.
Advanced methods for solving the Laplace equation generally use more efficient algorithms
based on Fourier transforms. Most available codes to solve electrostatic problems utilize a more
complex mesh. The mesh may have a rectangular or even triangular divisions to allow a close
match to curved boundary surfaces.
55
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Boundary conditions present special problems and must be handled differently from internal points
representing the vacuum region. Boundary points may include those on the actual boundary of the
calculational mesh, or points on internal electrodes maintained at a constant potential. The latter
points are handled easily. They are marked by a flag to indicate locations of nonvariable potential.
The relaxation calculation is not performed at such points. Locations on the mesh boundary have
no neighbors outside the mesh, so that Eq. (4.16) can not be applied. If these points have constant
potential, there is no problem since the residual need not be computed. Constant-potential points
constitute a Dirichlet boundary condition.
The other commonly encountered boundary specification is the Neumann condition in which the
normal derivative of the potential at the boundary is specified. In most cases where the Neumann
condition is used, the derivative is zero, so that there is no component of the electric field normal
56
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
to the boundary. This condition applies to boundaries with special symmetry, such as the axis in a
cylindrical calculation or a symmetry plane of a periodic system. Residues can be calculated at
Neumann boundaries since the potential outside the mesh is equal to the potential at the first point
inside the mesh. For example, on the boundary i = 0, the condition Φ(-1, j) = Φ(+1, j) holds. The
residual is
R(0,j) ¼ [Φ(0,j1) 2Φ(1,j) Φ(0,j1)] Φ(0,j). (4.18)
The finite difference form for the Laplace equation for this case is
57
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
1 (i½)Φ(i1,j)
Φ(i,j) (i½)Φ(i1,j) Φ(i,j1) Φ(i,j1) . (4.20)
4 i i
Analog methods were used extensively to solve electrostatic field problems before the advent of
digital computers. We will consider two analog techniques that clarify the nature of the Laplace
equation. The approach relies on finding a physical system that obeys the Laplace equation but
that allows easy measurements of a characteristic quantity (the analog of the potential).
One system, the tensioned elastic sheet, is suitable for two-dimensional problems (symmetry
58
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
along the z axis). As shown in Figure 4.11, a latex sheet is stretched with uniform tension on a
frame. If the sheet is displaced vertically a distance H(x, y), there will be vertical restoring forces.
In equilibrium, there is vertical force balance at each point. The equation of force balance can be
determined from the finite difference approximation defined in Figure 4.11. In terms of the surface
tension, the forces to the left and right of the point (i∆, j∆) are
F[(i½)∆] T [H(i∆,j∆)H([i1]∆,j∆)]/∆,
F[(i½)∆] T [H([i1]∆,j∆)H(i∆,j∆)]/∆.
Similar expressions can be determined for the y direction. The height of the point (i∆, j∆) is
constant in time; therefore,
F[(i½)∆] F[(i½)∆],
and
F[(j½)∆] F[(j½)∆].
Substituting for the forces shows that the height of a point on a square mesh is the average of its
four nearest neighbors. Thus, inverting the arguments of Section 4.2, H(x, y) is described by the
two-dimensional Laplace equation
M2H(x,y)/Mx 2 M2H(x,y)/My 2 0.
59
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Height is the analog of potential. To make an elastic potential solution, parts are cut to the
shape of the electrodes. They are fastened to the frame to displace the elastic sheet up or down a
distance proportional to the electrode potential. These pieces determine equipotential surfaces.
The frame is theground plane.
An interesting feature of the elastic sheet analog is that it can also be used to determine orbits of
charged particles in applied electrostatic fields. Neglecting rotation, the total energy of a ball
bearing on the elastic sheet is E = T + mgh(x, y), where g is the gravitational constant. The
transverse forces acting on a ball bearing on the elastic sheet are Fx = MH/Mx and Fy = MH/My.
Thus, ball bearings on the elastic sheet follow the same orbits as charged particles in the
analogous electrostatic potential, although over a considerably longer time scale.
Figure 4.12 is a photograph of a model that demonstrates the potentials in a planar electron
extraction gap with a coarse grid anode made of parallel wires. The source of the facet lens effect
associated with extraction grids (Section 6.5) is apparent.
A second analog technique, the electrolytic tank, permits accurate measurements of potential
distributions. The method is based on the flow of current in a liquid medium of constant-volume
resistivity, ρ (measured in units of ohm-meters). A dilute solution of copper sulfate in water is a
common medium. A model of the electrode structure is constructed to scale from copper sheet
and immersed in the solution. Alternating current voltages with magnitude proportional to those
in the actual system are applied to the electrodes.
According to the definition of volume resistivity, the current density is proportional to the
electric field
E ρj
Figure 4.12 Elastic sheet analog for electrostatic potential near an extraction grid. Elevated
section represents a high-voltage electrode surrounded by a grounded enclosure. Note the
distortion of the potential near the grid wires that results in focusing of extracted particles.
(Photograph and model by the author. Latex courtesy of the Hygenic Corporation.)
60
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
or
j Lφ/ρ. (4.21)
The steady-state condition that charge at any point in the liquid is a constant implies that all
current that flows into a volume element must flow out. This condition can be written
L@j 0. (4.22)
Combining Eq. (4.21) with (4.22), we find that potential in the electrolytic solution obeys the
Laplace equation.
In contrast to the potential in the real system, the potential in the electrolytic analog is
maintained by a real current flow. Thus, energy is available for electrical measurements. A
high-impedance probe can be inserted into the solution without seriously perturbing the fields.
Although the electrolytic method could be applied to three-dimensional problems, in practice it is
usually limited to two-dimensional simulations because of limitations on insertion of a probe. A
typical setup is shown in Figure 4.13. Following the arguments given above, it is easy to show
that a tipped tank can be used to solve for potentials in cylindrically symmetric systems.
Although numerical calculations are often necessary to determine electric and magnetic fields in
accelerators, analytic calculations have advantages when they are tractable. Analytic solutions
show general features and scaling relationships. The field expressions can be substituted into
equations of motion to yield particle orbit expressions in closed form. Electrostatic solutions for a
wide variety of electrode geometries have been derived. In this section. we will examine the
quadrupole field, a field configuration used in all high-energy transport systems. We will
concentrate on the electrostatic quadrupole; the magnetic equivalent will be discussed in Chapter
61
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
5.
The most effective procedure to determine electrodes to generate quadrupole fields is to work
in reverse, starting with the desired electric field distribution and calculating the associated
potential function. The equipotential lines determine a set of electrode surfaces and potentials that
generate the field. We assume the following two-dimensional fields:
Ex kx Eox/a, (4.23)
It is straightforward to verify that both the divergence and curl of E are zero. The fields of Eqs.
(4.23) and (4.24) represent a valid solution to the Maxwell equations in a vacuum region. The
electric fields are zero at the axis and increase (or decrease) linearly with distance from the axis.
The potential is related to the electric field by
Mφ/Mx Eox/a, Mφ/My Eoy/a,
Equipotential surfaces are hyperbolas in all four quadrants. There is an infinite set of electrodes
that will generate the fields of Eqs. (4.23) and (4.24). The usual choice is symmetric electrodes on
the equipotential lines φo = ±Eoa/2. Electrodes, field lines, and equipotential surfaces are plotted
in Figure 4.14. The quantity a is the minimum distance from the axis to the electrode, and Eo is
the electric field on the electrode surface at the position closest to the origin. The equipotentials in
Figure 4.14 extend to infinity. In practice, focusing fields are needed only near the axis. These
fields are not greatly affected by terminating the electrodes at distances a few times a from
the axis.
62
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
63
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Space charge is charge density present in the region in which an electric field is to be calculated.
Clearly, space charge is not included in the Laplace equation, which describes potential arising
from charges on external electrodes. In accelerator applications, space charge is identified with
the charge of the beam; it must be included in calculations of fields internal to the beam. Although
we will not deal with beam self-fields in this book, it is useful to perform at least one space charge
calculation. It gives insight into the organization of various types of charge to derive electrostatic
solutions. Furthermore, we will derive a useful formula to estimate when beam charge can be
neglected.
Charge density can be conveniently divided into three groups: (1) applied, (2) dielectric, and (3)
space charge. Equation 3.13 can be rewritten
L@E (ρ1 ρ2 ρ3)/εo. (4.27)
The quantity ρ1 is the charge induced on the surfaces of conducting electrodes by the application
of voltages. The second charge density represents charges in dielectric materials. Electrons in
dielectric materials cannot move freely. They are bound to a positive charge and can be displaced
only a small distance. The dielectric charge density can influence fields in and near the material.
Electrostatic calculations with the inclusion of ρ2 are discussed in Chapter 5. The final charge
density, ρ3, represents space charge, or free charge in the region of the calculation. This usually
includes the charge density of the beam. Other particles may contribute to ρ3, such as low-energy
electrons in a neutralized ion beam.
Electric fields have the property of superposition. Given fields corresponding to two or more
charge distributions, then the total electric field is the vector sum of the individual fields if the
charge distributions do not perturb one another. For instance, we could calculate electric fields
individually for each of the charge components, El, E2, and E3. The total field is
E E1(applied) E2(dielectric) E3(spacecharge). (4.28)
Only the third component occurs in the example of Figure 4.15. The cylinder with uniform charge
density is a commonly encountered approximation for beam space charge. The charge density is
constant, ρo, from r = 0 to r = rb. There is no variation in the axial (z) or azimuthal (θ) directions
so that M/Mz = M/Mθ = 0. The divergence equation (3.13) implies that there is only a radial
component of electric field. Because all field lines radiate straight outward (or inward for ρo < 0),
there can be no curl, and Eq. (3.11) is automatically satisfied.
64
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Electric field lines are generated by the charge inside a volume. The size of the radial volume
element goes to zero near the origin. Since no field lines can emerge from the axis, the condition
Er(r = 0) = 0 must hold. The solution of Eq. (4.29) is
ρor
Er(r < rb) . (4.30)
2εo
Outside the cylinder, the field is the solution of Eq. (4.29) with the right-hand side equal to zero.
The electric field must be a continuous function of radius in the absence of a charge layer. (A
charge layer is a finite quantity of charge in a layer'of zero thickness; this is approximately the
condition on the surface of an electrode.) Thus, Er(r = rb+) = Er(r = rb-), so that
ρorb2
Er(r > r b) . (4.31)
2εor
The solution is plotted in Figure 4,16. The electric field increases linearly away from the axis in
the charge region. It decreases as 1/r for r > rb because the field lines are distributed over a larger
area.
The problem of the charge cylinder can also be solved through the electrostatic potential. The
Poisson equation results when the gradient of, the potential is substituted in Eq. (3.13):
65
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
L2φ ρ(x) ,
εo (4.32)
or
1 d dφ ρo
r . (4.33)
r dr dr εo
ρorb2 r
φ(r > rb) 2 ln 1 . (4.35)
4εo rb
66
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The factor ρ∆3 is approximately the total charge in a volume ∆3 surrounding the mesh point (i, j,k)
when (1) the charge density is a smooth function of position and (2) the distance ∆ is small
compared to the scale length for variations in ρ. Equation (4.36) can be converted to a finite
difference equation by defining Q(i, j, k) = ρ(x, y, z)∆3. Equation (4.36) becomes
Φ(i,j,k) 1/6 [Φ(i1,j,k) Φ(i1,j,k) Φ(i,j1,k)
(4.37)
Φ(i,j1,k) Φ(i,j,k1) Φ(i,j,k1)] Q(i,j,k)/6εo.
Equation (4.37) states that the potential at a point is the average of 'its nearest neighbors elevated
(or lowered) by a term proportional to the space charge surrounding the point.
The method of successive relaxation can easily be modified to treat problems with space charge.
In this case, the residual [Eq. (4.16)] for a two-dimensional problem is
R(i,j,) 1/4 [Φ(i1,j) Φ(i1,j) Φ(i,j1) Φ(i,j1)]
(4.38)
Φ(i,j) Q(i,j)/4εo .
This section illustrates some methods to find static magnetic fields by direct use of the Maxwell
equations [(4.3) and (4.4)]. The fields are produced by current-carrying wires. Two simple, but
often encountered, geometries are included: the field outside a long straight wire and the field
inside of solenoidal winding of infinite extent.
The wire (Fig. 4.17) has current I in the z direction. There are no radial magnetic field lines
since L@B = 0. There is no component Bz since the fields must be perpendicular to the current.
Thus, magnetic field lines are azimuthal. By symmetry, the field lines are circles. The magnitude of
the azimuthal field (or density of lines) can be determined by rewriting the static form of Eq.
(3.12) in integral form according to the Stokes law [Eq. (4.7)],
B@dl µo jzdA µ oI. (4.39)
m mm
Using the fact that field lines are circles, we find that
Bθ µ oI/2πr. (4.40)
67
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The solenoidal coil is illustrated in Figure 4.18. It consists of a helical winding of insulated wire
on a cylindrical mandrel. The wire carries current I. The quantity (N/L) is the number of turns per
unit length. Solenoid derives from the Greek word for pipe; magnetic field lines are channeled
through the windings. In a finite length winding, the field lines return around the outside. We will
consider the case of an infinitely long structure with no axial variations. Furthermore, we assume
there are many windings over a length comparable to the coil radius, or (N/L)rc » 1. In this limit,
we can replace the individual windings with a uniform azimuthal current sheet. The sheet has a
current per unit length J (A/m) = (N/L)I.
The current that produces the field is azimuthal. By the law of Biot and Savart, there can be no
component of azimuthal magnetic field. By symmetry, there can be no axial variation of field. The
conditions of zero divergence and curl of the magnetic field inside the winding are written
Setting M/Mz equal to zero in Eqs. (4.41); we find that Br is zero and that Bz has equal magnitude
at all radii. The magnitude of the axial field can be determined by applying Eq. (4.39) to the loop
illustrated in Figure 4.18. The field outside a long solenoid is negligible since return magnetic flux
is spread over a large area. There are no contributions to the loop integral from the radial
segments because fields are axial. The only component of the integral comes from the part of the
path inside the solenoid, so that
Bo µ o J µ o (N/L) I. (4.42)
Many magnetic confinement systems for intense electron beams or for high-temperature plasmas
are based on a solenoidal coil bent in a circle and connected, as shown in Figure 4.19. The
geometry is that of a doughnut or torus with circular cross section. The axial fields that circulate
68
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
around the torus are called toroidal field lines. Field lines are continuous and self-connected. All
field lines are contained within the winding. The toroidal field magnitude inside the winding is not
uniform. Modification of the loop construction of Figure 4.19 shows that the field varies as the
inverse of the major radius. Toroidal field variation is small when the minor radius (the radius of
the solenoidal windings) is much less than the major radius.
69
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
The magnetic potential and the vector potential aid in the calculation of magnetic fields. In this
section, we will consider how these functions are related and investigate the physical meaning of
the vector potential in a two-dimensional geometry. The vector potential will be used to derive
the magnetic field for a circular current loop. Assemblies of loop currents are used to generate
magnetic fields in many particle beam transport devices.
In certain geometries, magnetic field lines and the vector potential are closely related. Figure
4.20 illustrates lines of constant vector potential in an axially uniform system in which fields are
generated by currents in the z direction. Equation (3.24) implies that the vector potential has only
an axial component, Az. Equation (3.23) implies that
Bx MAz/My, By MA z/Mx. (4.43)
Figure 4.20 shows a surface of constant Az in the geometry considered. This line is defined by
dAz 0 (MAz/Mx) dx (MAz/My) dy. (4.44)
70
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
Substituting Eqs. (4.43) into Eq. (4.44), an alternate equation for a constant Az line is
dy/dx B y/Bx. (4.45)
Equation (4.45) is also the equation for a magnetic field line. To summarize, when magnetic fields
are generated by axial currents uniform in z, magnetic field lines are defined by lines of constant
A z.
A similar construction shows that magnetic field lines are normal to surfaces of constant
magnetic potential. In the geometry of Figure 4.20,
Bx MUm/Mx, By MU m/My. (4.46)
Analytic geometry shows that the line described by Eq. (4.47) is perpendicular to that of Eq.
(4.45).
The correspondence of field lines and lines of constant Az can be used to find magnetic fields of
arrays of currents. As an example, consider the geometry illustrated in Figure 4.21. Two infinite
length wires carrying opposed currents ±I are separated by a distance 2d. It is not difficult to
show that the vector potential for a single wire is
Az ±½µ oI ln(x 2y 2)/2π.
where the origin of the coordinate system (x', y') is centered on the wire. The total vector
potential is the sum of contributions from both wires. In terms of the coordinate system (x, y)
defined in Figure 4.21, the total vector potential is
µ oI (xd)2y 2
Az ln .
4π (xd)2y 2
Lines of constant Az (corresponding to magnetic field tines) are plotted in Figure 4.21.
71
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
There are many instances in accelerator applications in which magnetic fields are produced by
azimuthal currents in cylindrically symmetric systems. For instance, the field of a solenoidal lens
(Section 6.7) is generated by axicentered current loops of various radii. There is only one nonzero
component of the vector potential, Aθ. It can be shown that magnetic field lines follow surfaces of
constant 2πrAθ. The function 2πrAθ is called the stream function. The contribution from many
loops can be summed to find a net stream function.
The vector potential of a current loop of radius a (Fig. 4.22) can be found by application of Eq.
(3.24). In terms of cylindrical coordinates centered at the loop axis, the current density is
Care must be exercised in evaluating the integrals, since Eq. (3.24) holds only for a Cartesian
coordinate system. The result is
72
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
2π
µ oIa cosθdθ
Aθ . (4.49)
4π m (a 2 r 2 z 2 2ar cosθ )½
0
Eq. (4.49) can be written in terms of the complete elliptic integrals E(M) and K(M) as
µ oIa (2M) K(M) 2 E(M) .
Aθ (4.50)
π (a 2
r z 2ar)
2 2 ½ M
Although the expressions in Eq. (4.50) are relatively complex, the vector potential can be
calculated quickly on a computer. Evaluating the elliptic integrals directly is usually ineffective
and time consuming. A better approach is to utilize empirical series tabulated in many
mathematical handbook s. These series give an accurate approximation in terms of power series
73
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
and elementary transcendental functions. For example, the elliptic integrals are given to an
accuracy of 4 x 10-5 by [adapted from M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, Eds., Handbook of
Mathematical Functions (Dover, New York, 1970), p. 591].
K(M) 1.38629 0.111972(1M) 0.0725296(1M)2
(4.51)
[0.50000 0.121348(1M) 0.0288729(1M)2)] ln(1/(1M)l
(4.52)
The vector potential can be calculated for multiple coils bv transforming coordinates and then
summing Aθ. The transformations are z $(z - zcn) and a $ rcn, where zcn and rcn are the coordinates
of the nth coil. Given the net vector potential, the magnetic fields are
M(rAθ) MAθ
Bz 1 , Br . (4.53)
r Mr Mz
A quantity of particular interest for paraxial orbit calculations (Section 7.5) is the longitudinal
field magnitude on the axis Bz(0, z). The vector potential for a single coil [Eq. (4.49)] can be
expanded for r « a as
2π
µ oIa cosθ dθ
arcos θ d3θ
2
Aθ(r,z) . (4.54)
4π m a 2z 2 a 2z 2
0
The integral of the first term is zero, while the second term gives
µ oIa 2r
Aθ 3
. (4.55)
4 a 2
z 2
74
Steady State Electric and Magnetic Fields
We can use Eq. (4.56) to derive the geometry of the Helmholtz coil configuration. Assume that
two loops with equal current are separated by an axial distance d. A Taylor expansion of the axial
field near the axis about the midpoint of the coils gives
B z(0,z) (B1B2) (MB1/Mz MB2/Mz) z
(M2B1/Mz 2 M2B2/Mz 2) z 2...
The subscript 1 refers to the contribution from the coil at z = - d/2, while 2 is associated with the
coil at z = + d/2. The derivatives can be determined from Eq. (4.56). The zero-order components
from both coils add. The first derivatives cancel at all values of the coil spacing. At a spacing of d
= a, the second derivatives also cancel. Thus, field variations near the symmetry point are only on
the order of (z/a)3 . Two coils with d = a are called Helmholtz coils. They are used when a weak
but accurate axial field is required over a region that is small compared to the dimension of the
coil. The field magnitude for Helmholtz coils is
Bz µ oI / (1.25)3/2 a (4.57)
75
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
5
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields
by Materials
Certain materials influence electric and magnetic fields through bound charges and currents. Their
properties differ from those of metals where electrons are free to move. Dielectric materials
contain polar molecules with spatially displaced positive and negative charge. Applied electric
fields align the molecules. The resulting charge displacement reduces the electric field in the
material and modifies fields in the vicinity of the dielectric. There are corresponding magnetic field
effects in paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials. These materials contribute to magnetic fields
through orientation of atomic currents rather than a macroscopic flow of charge as in a metal.
Although the responses of materials to fields differ in scale, the general behavior is similar in
form. This is the reason the contributions of dielectric and magnetic materials were singled out in
Section 4.5 as ρ2 and j2 It is often useful to define new field quantities that automatically
incorporate the contributions of bound charges and currents. These quantities are D (the electric
displacement vector) and H (the magnetic field intensity).
The study of the properties of dielectric and magnetic materials (including subsidiary field
quantities and boundary conditions) is not conceptually exciting. This is especially true for
ferromagnetic materials where there is considerable terminology. Nonetheless, it is essential to
understand the properties of dielectric and ferromagnetic materials since they have extensive uses
in all types of accelerators.
76
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
All high-energy accelerators utilize ferromapetic materials. The following are some important
applications.
1. Ferromagnetic materials shape magnetic fields. They play a role analogous to electrodes in
electrostatics. Shaped iron surfaces (poles) are utilized to generate complex field distributions for
focusing and bending magnets.
2. Ferromagnetic materials amplify the flux change produced by a real current. The resulting
increased inductance is essential to the operation of transformers. Inductive isolation is the basis
of the betatron and linear induction accelerator.
3. Ferromagnetic materials convey magnetic field lines in a manner analogous to the conduction
of current by a low-resistivity wire. This effect leads to substantial reductions in power
requirements for beam transport magnets.
4. The nonlinear response of a ferromagnetic material to an applied field can be utilized for fast,
high-power switching.
The physics of dielectric and ferromagnetic materials is reviewed in this chapter. Special
emphasis is placed on the concept of the magnetic circuit. A section is included on permanent
magnet circuits.
5.1 DIELECTRICS
Dielectric materials are composed of polar molecules. Such molecules have spatially separated
positive and negative charge. The molecules may be either bound in one position (solids) or free
to move (liquids and gases). Figure 5.la shows a diagram of a water molecule. The
electronegative oxygen atom attracts the valence electrons of the hydrogen atoms, leaving an
excess of positive charge at the locations of the hydrogen atoms.
77
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
In the absence of an applied electric field, the molecules of a dielectric are randomly oriented (Fig.
5.1b). This results from the disordering effects of thermal molecular motion and collisions.
Molecular ordering cannot occur spontaneously because a net electric field would result. With no
external influence, there is no source of energy to generate such fields (Section 5.6). The
randomized state is the state of lowest net energy (thermodynamic equilibrium).
Applied electric fields act on the charges of a polar molecule to align it as shown in Figure 5.1c.
On the average, the molecular distribution becomes ordered as the change in electrostatic
potential energy counteracts the randomizing thermal kinetic energy. The macroscopic effect of
molecular alignment is shown in Figure 5.1d. Inside the material, a shifted positive charge in
one molecule is balanced by a shifted negative charge of a nearby molecule. On the average, there
78
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
is no net internal charge to contribute to fields. This balance does not occur on the surfaces. An
applied electric field results in positive and negative charge layers at opposite surfaces. The field
produced by these layers inside the dielectric is opposed to the applied field.
The simplest geometry to consider is a one-dimensional dielectric slab in a region of uniform
applied electric field. The applied field is produced by a voltage difference between two parallel
plates (Fig. 5.1d). The electric field resulting from the charges on the plates (Section 3.2) is
denoted E1. The surface charges induced on the dielectric produce a field, -E2. The total field
inside the dielectric is E = E1 - E2. Most dielectrics have the property that the degree of
orientation of polar molecules is linearly proportional to the applied field at typical field strengths.
Thus, the surface charge density is proportional to applied field, and E2 - E1.
The linear response of dielectrics comes about because the degree of alignment of molecules is
small at normal temperatures and field strength. Increased applied field strength brings about a
proportional increase in the orientation. Nonlinear effects are significant when the dielectric
approaches saturation. In a saturated state, all molecules are aligned with the field so that
an increase in applied field brings about no increase in surface charge. We can estimate the
magnitude of the saturation electric field. At room temperature, molecules have about 0.025 eV
of thermal kinetic energy. Saturation occurs when the electrostatic potential energy is comparable
to the thermal energy. The decrease in potential energy associated with orientation of a polar
molecule with charge separation d is qE1d. Taking q = e and d = 1 D (10-10 m), E1 must be on the
order of 250 MV/m. This is much higher than the strongest fields generated in rf accelerators, so
that the linear approximation is well satisfied. In contrast, saturation effects occur in
ferromagnetic materials at achievable values of applied magnetic field.
The net electric field inside a linear dielectric is proportional to the applied field. The constant of
proportionality is defined by
E1
E E1 E2. (5.1)
ε/εo
The quantity ε/εo is the relative dielectric constant. Ordinary solid or liquid dielectrics reduce the
magnitude of the electric field, so that ε/εo > 1. Equation (5.1) is written in vector notation. This
result can be derived from the above one-dimensional arguments by considering a differential
cubic volume and treating each component of the field separately. This approach holds if the
material is isotropic (liquids, glass). Equation (5.1) may not be valid for some solid materials. For
instance, if polar molecules are bound in a crystal lattice, their response to an applied field may
vary depending on the orientation of the field with respect to the crystal axes. The dielectric
constant depends on the alignment of the field relative to the crystal. Such materials are called
bifringent.
79
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
80
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Thus, D arises from free charges (either on electrodes or in the volume). Combining Eqs. (5.1)
and (5.2) the electric displacement is related to the net field inside a dielectric region by
D εE. (5.3)
If a dielectric is inserted into a vacuum field region (Section 4.1), the following equations hold:
L@D 0, L@E
0. (5.4)
The meaning of these equations is illustrated in Figure 5.3. A thin differential volume element that
includes a vacuum-dielectric boundary is illustrated. There is no flux of D lines out of the volume
since there are no free charges to act as sources. The divergence of E is nonzero because the
magnitude is different on both faces. The volume includes a net positive charge in the form
of the dielectric surface charge.
When dielectrics are included in a vacuum region, the Laplace equation can be written
ε(x)
L@ Lφ 0. (5.5)
εo
Equation (5.5) proceeds from Eq. (5.4), which implies that L@εE = 0. The potential is still given
by -Lφ = E since the force on a particle depends on the net electric field, independent of the
sources of the field. Numerical methods to solve Eq. (5.5) are similar to those of Section 4.2. A
81
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
value of the relative dielectric constant is associated with each point and must be included in the
finite difference formulation of the Laplacian operator.
The concept of the dielectric constant often leads to confusion in treating plasmas. A plasma is a
relatively dense region of equal positive and negative free charges (Fig. 5.4). The clearest
approach to describe the interactions of plasmas and electric fields is to include the electron and
ion space charge as contributions to ρ3 (free space charge). Nonetheless, it is a common practice
to introduce the concept of a plasma dielectric constant to describe phenomena such as the
refraction of optical radiation. This permits utilization of familiar optical definitions and equations.
Referring to the plasma slab illustrated in Figure 5.4a, the plasma dielectric constant is clearly
undefined for a steady-state applied field since positive and negative charges are free to move in
opposite directions. At very low frequency, plasmas support real currents, as in a metal
conductor. When a medium-frequency ac electric field is applied, the heavy ions are relatively
immobile. The electrons try to move with the field, but
displacements lead to charge separation. The space charge tield acts to cancel the applied field.
The electrons are thus bound to the ions. The result is that at medium frequency, electric fields are
excluded from plasmas. Alternatively, the plasma can be described by a relative dielectric constant
much greater than unity. Note the geometric similarity between Figure 5.4b and 5.1d. At high
frequencies, electron inertia becomes an important factor. At high frequencies (such as the optical
regime), the electron motion is 180E out of phase with applied electric fields. In this case, the
electron space charge (oscillating about the immobile positive charge) adds to the applied field,
82
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Figure 5.5. Infrared laser interferogram of plasma in dense neutral backgrounds. (a) Exploding
wire: note that the dense expanding neutrals cause an upward shift of fringes (ε/εo > 1) while the
electrode plasma causes a downward fringe shift (ε/εo < 1). (b) Spark in atmospheric air: dense
plasma causes a downward shift. (Photographs by the author.)
so that ε/εo < 1. Plasmas are a very unusual dielectric material at high frequencies. This effect is
important in laser interferometry of plasmas. Figure 5.5 shows far-infrared holographic
interferograms of an exploding wire and a plasma spark in atmospheric air. The direction of
displacement of the fringes shows the dielectric constant relative to vacuum. Note that there are
displacements in both directions in Figure 5.5a because of the presence of a dense shock wave
of neutrals (ε/εo > 1) and an electrode plasma (ε/εo < 1).
Methods for the numerical calculation for vacuum electric fields in the presence of dielectrics
were mentioned in Section 5.1. There are also numerous analytic methods. Many problems
involve uniform regions with different values of ε/εo. It is often possible to find general forms of
the solution in each region by the Laplace equation, and then to determine a general solution by
83
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
matching field components at the interfaces. In this section, we shall consider how electric fields
vary passing from a region with ε/εo 0 to a vacuum. Extensions to interfaces between two
dielectrics is straightforward.
The electric fields at a dielectric-vacuum interface are divided into components parallel and
perpendicular to the surface (Fig. 5.6). The magnitude of the electric field is different in each
region (Section 5.1); the direction may also change. The relationship between field components
normal to the interface is demonstrated by the construction of Figure 5.6b. A surface integral is
taken over a thin volume that encloses the surface. The main contributions come from integration
over the faces parallel to the surface. Using Eq. (5.3) and the divergence theorem,
dA (εoEzα εEzβ) 0.
mm
84
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Matching conditions for the parallel field components can be determined from the construction of
Figure 5.6c. A slab of dielectric extends between two parallel metal plates at different voltages.
The dielectric-vacuum interface is normal to the plates. The geometry of Figure 5.6c is the
simplest form of capacitor. The charges that produce the electric field must be moved against the
potential difference in order to charge the plates. During this process, work is performed on the
system; the energy can be recovered by reversing the process. Thus, the capacitor is a storage
device for electrostatic energy.
In the absence of the dielectric, electric field lines normal to the plates are produced by positive
and negative surface charge layers on the plates. When the dielectric is introduced, polarization
charge layers are set up that try to reduce the electric field inside the dielectric. Because there is
no net charge between the plates or inside the dielectric, the condition E = 0 holds everywhere
between the plates. Field lines are thus straight lines parallel to the dielectric-vacuum interface.
The integral -Edx has the constant value Vo on any path between the equipotential plates. In
particular, the integral can be taken just inside and outside the dielectric interface. This implies
that the parallel electric field is the same inside and outside the dielectric surface. This fact can be
reconciled with the presence of the polarization charge by noting that additional surface charge is
distributed on the plates. The extra charge cancels the effect of polarization charge on the electric
field, as shown in Figure 5.6 c.
The matching condition for parallel components of electric field at a dielectric-vacuum surface is
The construction also shows that a dielectric fill allows a capacitor to store more plate charge at
the same voltage. Since the electrostatic energy is proportional to the charge, the energy density is
proportional to ε/εo. This explains the predominance of water as a medium for high-power
density-pulsed voltage systems. Compact high-voltage capacitors are produced using barium
titanate, which has a relative dielectric constant which may exceed 104.
The combined conditions of Eqs. (5.6) and (5.7) imply that the normal components of electric
field lines entering a medium of high ε/εo from vacuum are small. Inside such a medium, electric
field lines are thus bent almost parallel to the interface. Figure 5.7 shows an example of applied
dielectric boundary conditions. Equipotential lines are plotted at the output of a high-power,
water-filled pulser. The region contains water (ε/εo= 80), a lucite insulator (ε/εo 3), and a
vacuum region (ε/εo= 1) for electron beam acceleration. The aim of the designer was to distribute
equipotentials evenly across the vacuum side of the insulator for uniform field stress and to shape
boundaries so that field lines enter the surface at a 45' angle for optimum hold-off (see Section
85
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
9.5). Note the sharp bending of equipotential lines at the lucite-water boundary. The
equipotentials in the water are evenly spaced straight lines normal to the boundary. They are
86
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
relatively unaffected by the field distribution in the low dielectric constant region.
Some materials modify applied magnetic fields by alignment of bound atomic currents. Depending
on the arrangement of electrons, atoms may have a magnetic moment. This means that the
circulating electrons produce magnetic fields outside the atom. The fields, illustrated in Figure
5.8, have the same form as those outside a circular current loop (Section 4.7); therefore, the
circular loop is often used to visualize magnetic interactions of atoms. The magnetic moment pm
of a loop of radius a carrying a current I is
pm I (πa 2). (5.8)
87
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
In classical physics, the atomic pm is visualized to originate from the circular current loop of a
valenc electron rotating about the atom. The current I is about qev/2πa (where v is the orbital
velocity) and a is about 1 . Although this gives a rough estimate of a typical atomic pm the
microscopic problem must be approached by quantum mechanics. The correct result is that the
magnetic moment is quantified, and can have values
pm ±meh/4πme, (5.9)
The quantity µ/µ o is the relative permeability. The magnetic field intensity H is a vector quantity
proportional to the magnetic field minus the contribution of atomic material currents, or
H B1/µ o.
88
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
The field intensity is related to the magnetic field inside a magnetic material by
H B/µ. (5.11)
Magnetic fields obey the principle of superposition. Equation (4.39) can be written
B1dl µ o I1 .
m
89
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Thus, the magnetic intensity is determined only by free currents and has the dimensions amperes
per meter in the mks system.
The relative permeability in typical paramagnetic materials is only about a factor of 10-6 above
unity. Paramagnetic effects are not important in accelerator applications. Ferromagnetic materials,
on the other hand, have µ/µ o factors that can be as high as 10,000. This property gives them many
important uses in magnets for charged particle acceleration and transport. Ferromagnetism is a
quantum mechanical phenomenon with no classical analogy. In some materials (chiefly iron,
nickel, and iron alloys), the minimum energy state consistent with the exclusion principle has
atomic magnetic moments aligned parallel rather than antiparallel. The energy involved in this
alignment is greater than thermal kinetic energies at room temperature. On a microscopic
scale, all the magnetic moments in a ferromagnetic material are aligned in the minimum energy
state.
Alignment does not extend to macroscopic scales. Macroscopic alignment of magnetic moments
produces fields outside the material which require additional energy. Two opposing factors are
balanced in ferromagnetic materials in the minimum energy state. On the microscopic scale,
minimum energy is associated with atomic alignment, while on the macroscopic scale minimum
energy is equivalent to maximum disorder. The situation is resolved by the formation of domains,
small regions in which all magnetic moments are aligned. On a macroscopic scale, the domains are
randomized (Fig. 5.10) so that there is no magnetic field outside the ferromagnetic material in its
ordinary state. The domain size (the separatrix between the quantum mechanical and classical
regimes) is about 10-5 cm, or 1000 atoms wide.
Ferromagnetic materials respond to applied magnetic fields by shifting domain boundaries to
favor domains aligned with the field. In contrast to paramagnetic materials, the resulting high
degree of atomic orientation produces large magnetic effects. Saturation (total alignment) can
occur at attainable applied field strengths (2 T). Although the magnetic field is a monotonic
90
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
function of the applied field, we cannot expect the response to be linear or reversible. Equation
(5.11) is no longer valid. We can preserve the concept of the permeability by considering the
response of ferromagnetic materials to small excursions in the applied field about an equilibrium
value. The small signal µ is defined by
∆B µ(H) ∆H. (5.13)
or
µ(H) (dB/dH)H.
In this section we shall look in more detail at the response of ferromagnetic materials to an
applied field. In unmagnetized material, the directions of domains are randomized because energy
is required to generate magnetic fields outside the material. If the external magnetic field energy is
supplied by an outside source, magnetic moments may become orientated, resulting in large
amplified flux inside the material. In other words, an applied field tips the energy balance in favor
of macroscopic magnetic moment alignment.
A primary use of ferromagnetic materials in accelerators is to conduct magnetic flux between
vacuum regions in which particles are transported. We shall discuss relationships between fields
inside and outside ferromagnetic materials when we treat magnetic circuits in Section 5.7. In this
section we limit the discussion to fields confined inside ferromagnetic materials. Figure 5.11
illustrates such a case; a ferromagnetic torus is enclosed in a tight uniform magnet wire winding.
We want to measure the net toroidal magnetic field inside the material, B, as a function of the
applied field B1, or the field intensity H. The current in the winding is varied slowly so that applied
field permeates the material uniformly. The current in the winding is related to B1 through Eq.
(4.42). By Eq. (5.1 1), H = NI/L, hence the designation of H in ampere-turns per meter. The
magnetic field inside the material could be measured by a probe inserted in a thin gap. A more
practical method is illustrated in Figure 5.11. The voltage from a loop around the torus in
integrated electronically. According to Section 3.5, the magnetic field enclosed by the loop of area
A can be determined from B = 1 Vdt/A.
With zero current in the windings, a previously unmagnetized core has randomly orientated
domains and has no macroscopic magnetization (H = 0, B = 0). Domains become aligned as the
applied field is raised. Both H and B increase, as shown in Figure 5.12. The field in the material
(the sum of the applied and atomic contributions) may be over 1000 times that of the applied
field alone; thus, the small signal µ is high. At some value of applied field, all the domains are
aligned. This is called saturation. Beyond this point, there is no increase in the contribution of
91
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
material currents to the field with increasing applied field; therefore, the small signal µ drops to
µ o. The portion of the B-H curve from (H = 0, B = 0) to saturation (the dashed line in Fig. 5.12)
is called the virgin magnetization curve. Unless the material is completely demagnetized, it will
not be repeated again.
The next step in the hypothetical measurement is to reduce the applied field. If the
magnetization process were reversible, the B-H curve would follow the virgin magnetization
92
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
curve back to the origin. This does not happen since it takes energy to shift domain boundaries.
When H is returned to zero, the domains are energetically able to retain much of their alignment
so that the torus remains magnetized. This occurs because all field lines are contained in the torus
and no energy need be expended to produce external fields. The magnetization would be reduced
if there were an air gap in the core (see Section 5.8). If a reverse current is applied to the driving
circuit, the magnetic field will return to zero and eventually be driven to reverse saturation. The
B-H curve of a magnetic material exhibits hysteresis or nonreversibility. The term derives from a
Greek word meaning shortcoming or lagging. The B-H curve described is a particular case, the
saturation hysteresis curve. There is a nested family of hysteresis curves converging to the origin,
depending on the magnitude of current in the driving circuit.
Magnet engineering is based on some straightforward concepts and a large body of terminology.
A clear understanding of the definitions of magnetic properties is essential to utilize data on
magnetic materials. To facilitate this, important terms will be singled out in this section and in
Sections 5.7 and 5.8. Terms related to the hysteresis curve are illustrated in Figure 5.12. Most
data on magnetic materials and permanent magnets is given in cgs units, so it is important to
know the transformation of quantities between mks and cgs.
H Magnetic Intensity. Also called magnetizing force. The cgs unit is oersteds (Oe), where I A-
turn/m = 0.01256 Oe.
B Magnetic Induction Field. Also called magnetic field, magnetic induction, magnetic flux
density. The cgs unit is the gauss (G), where 1 tesla (T) = 104 gauss.
Bs Saturation Induction. The magnetic field in a ferromagnetic material when all domains are
aligned.
Br Remanence Flux. Also called residual induction. The value of the magnetic field on the
saturation hysteresis curve when the driving current is zero. It is assumed that all magnetic flux is
contained in the material.
Soft Magnetic Material. Ferromagnetic materials which require a small magnetizing force to be
driven to saturation, typically 10 Oe. The area enclosed by the saturation hysteresis curve is
relatively small, and we shall see that this is equivalent to small energy input to magnetize or
demagnetize the material. Soft magnetic materials are used to conduct field lines and as isolators
in induction accelerators.
93
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
94
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Figure 5.13 shows hysteresis curves for carbon steel (a material used for magnet poles and return
flux yokes) and silicon steel (used for pulsed transformer cores).
Figure 5.14 shows a boundary between a magnetic material with permeability µ and vacuum with
µ o. A thin volume element encloses the boundarv. The equation L@B = 0 implies that the integral
of the normal component of B on the surfaces of the volume is zero (Fig. 5.14a). The main
contributions to the integral are from the upper and lower faces, so that
Bzα Bzβ. (5.14)
Noting that there is no free current enclosed, Eq. (5.12) can be applied around the periphery of
the volume (Fig. 5.14b). The main contributions to the circuital integral are on the faces.
(Hα Hβ) @ dl (5.15)
m
or
B2α/µ o B2β/µ. (5.16)
For ferromagnetic materials (µ » µ o), the parallel component of magnetic field outside the
ferromagnetic material is much smaller than the parallel component inside the material. Thus,
magnetic field lines just outside a ferromagnetic material are almost normal to the surface. This
simple boundary condition means that ferromagnetic materials define surfaces of constant
95
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
magnetic potential Um. Ferromagnetic surfaces can be used to generate magnetostatic field
distributions in the same way that electrodes are used for electrostatic fields. Since both the
electrostatic and magnetic potentials satisfy the Laplace equation, all electrostatic solutions can be
applied to magnetic fields. Ferromagnetic surfaces used to shape magnetic field lines in a vacuum
(or air) region are called pole pieces. By convention, magnetic field vectors point from the North
to the South pole. Figure 5.15 shows an example of a numeric calculation of magnetic fields for a
synchrotron magnet. Shaping of the pole piece near the gap provides the proper field gradient for
beam focusing.
The boundary condition is not valid when the pole material becomes saturated. In high-field
magnets, regions of high flux may become saturated before rest of the pole piece. This distorts the
magnetic field pattern. The fields of partially saturated magnets are difficult to predict. Note that
local saturation is avoided in the design of Figure 5.15 by proper shaping and avoidance of sharp
edges. This allows the maximum magnetic field without distortion. In the limit of fields well above
the saturation limit (» 2 T), the effective relative permeability decreases to unity and the field
pattern approaches that of the exciting coil only.
The analogy between electrostatic and magnetostatic solutions leads to the magnetic
quadrupole, illustrated in Figure 5.16. The pole pieces follow hyperbolic surfaces of constant
magnetic potential [Eq. (4.26)]. In contrast to the electrostatic quadrupole, the x-y forces on a
beam moving along the z axis are perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. It is usually more
convenient to analyze a magnetic quadrupole in terms of x-y axes rotated 45E from those used for
96
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
the electric field version. In the coordinate system of Figure 5.16, the magnetic field components
are
Bx Boy/a, By B ox/a. (5.17)
As mentioned in Section 3.2, the field description summarizes the electromagnetic interactions
between charged particles. Although exchange of energy in a system takes place between charged
particles, it is often more convenient to imagine that energy resides in the fields themselves. In this
section, we shall use two examples to demonstrate the correspondence between the
electromagnetic energy of particles and the concept of field energy density.
The electric field energy density can be determined by considering the parallel plate capacitor
(Fig. 5.6c). Initially, there is no voltage difference between the plates, and hence no stored charge
or energy. Charge is moved slowly from one plate to another by a power supply. The supply must
perform work to move charge against the increasing voltage. If the plates have a voltage
V', the differential energy transfer from the power supply to the capacitor to move an amount of
charge dQ' is ∆U = V'dQ'. Modifying Eq. (3.9) for the presence of the dielectric, the electric field
is related to the total charge moved between the plates by
E Q/A ,
ε
97
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
where A is the area of the plates. In terms of incremental quantities during the charging cycle, dQ'
= ε dE'A. The voltage is related to the field through V' = E'd. The total energy stored in the
capacitor proceeding from zero electric field to E is
E
U (E d) (εAdE ) (εE 2/2) (Ad). (5.18)
m
0
The total energy can be expressed as the product of an energy density associated with the field
lines times the volume occupied by field (Ad). The electrostatic energy density is thus
U(E) εE 2/2 D(E/2. (J/m 3) (5.19)
Recognizing that the volume occupied by fields is AC, the magnetic field energy density is
B
U(B) H dB (J/m 3). (5.21)
m
0
If the relationship between B and H is known, the energy density of the final state can be
evaluated. For instance, with a linear variation (constant µ)
U(B) B 2/2µ H(B/2 (J/m 3). (5.22)
98
Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
to -Br and a positive driving current is applied to bring it to +Bs (Fig. 5.17b). Both H and dB are
positive, so work must be performed by the power source. The energy transfer is given by the
shaded area of the graph (Fig. 5.17c) multiplied by the volume of the core. If the power supply is
turned off, the core returns to +Br. During this part of the cycle, H is positive but dB is negative,
so that some energy is returned to the supply as an induced voltage. This energy is denoted by the
darkly shaded portion of the graph; the net energy transfer in a half-cycle is the lightly shaded
remainder. A similar process occurs for negative H. In most induction accelerators, a full cycle is
traversed around the saturation hysterests curve for each beam pulse. An amount of energy equal
to the area circumscribed by the hysteresis curve is lost to the core in each full cvcle. This energy
is expended in the irreversible process of domain reorientation. It ultimately appears in the core in
the form of heat. In applications with continued and rapid recycling, it is clearly advantageous to
use a ferromagnetic material with the smallest hysteresis curve area (soft material).
Magnetic fields used for charged particle transport are usually localized to small regions. This is
the case for a bending magnet where the beam traverses a narrow vacuum region of parallel field
lines. The condition of zero divergence implies that the field lines must curve around outside the
transport region to return to the gap. Thus, most of the volume occupied by magnetic field serves
no purpose for the application. If the surrounding region is vacuum or air (µ/µ o = 1), most of the
power input to the magnet is consumed to support the return flux. A more practical geometry for
a bending magnet uses ferromagnetic material in the return flux region. We shall see that in this
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
case magnetic flux outside the gap is supported by the atomic currents in the material, with very
little power required from the external supply.
The bending magnet is a circuit in the sense that the magnetic field lines circulate. The magnetic
circuit has many analogies with electric circuits in which electrons circulate. The excitation
windings provide the motive force (voltage), the vacuum gap is the load (resistance), and the
ferromagnetic material completes the circuit (conducting wire). The magnetic circuit with iron
is useful primarily when there is a small, well-defined gap. In applications requiring large-volume
extended fields (such as hot plasma confinement devices for fusion reactors), there is little benefit
in using ferromagnetic materials. Furthermore, ferromagnetic materials lose their advantages
above their saturation field (typically 2 T). High-field applications (6 T) have become practical
through the use of superconductors. There is no energy penalty in supporting return flux lines in
vacuum since the excitation windings draw no power.
Figure 5.18 illustrates the advantage of including ferromagnetic material in ordinary magnetic
circuits. Assume that both the air core and iron core geometries produce the same field, Bg, in
equal gaps. In order to compare the circuits directly, windings are included in the air core circuit
so that the return flux is contained in the same toroidal volume. The magnetic flux in any cross
section is a constant and is the same for both circuits. The gap has cross-sectional area Ag, and the
core (or return flux coil) has area Ac. The length of the gap is g, while the length of the core (coil)
is l. The excitation coils have an ampere turn product given by the number of windings multiplied
by the current input to the windings, NI. The wires that carry the current have resistivity in an
ordinary magnet; the power necessary to support the field is proportional to N (the length of the
wire) and to I2. It is desirable to make NI as small as possible.
The ampere turn products for the two circuits of Figure 5.18 can be related to the magnetic field
in the circuit through Eq. (5.12):
Ψ B g A g B cA c. (5.24)
or
Ψ (g/A gµ o l/Acµ o) NI. (5.25)
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Comparing Eqs. (5.25) and (5.26), the ampere turn product for equal flux is much smaller for the
case with the ferromagnetic core when µ « µ o and g « l (a small gap).
An iron core substantially reduces power requirements for a de magnet. An alternate view of the
situation is that the excitation coil need support only the magnetic field in the gap since the second
term in Eq. (5.26) is negligible. The return flux is supported by the atomic currents of the
material. The excitation coils are located at the gap in Figure 5.18a to clarify this statement. In
practice, the coils can be located anywhere in the circuit with about the same result. This follows
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
from the Laplace equation which implies that the field line configuration minimizes the net field
energy of the system. The field energy is a minimum if the flux flows in the ferromagnetic
material. The field lines are thus conducted through the core and cross the gap in a manner
consistent with the boundary condition discussed in Section 5.5, relatively independent of the
location of the exciting coils. Ferromagnetic materials also help in pulsed magnet circuits, such as
those in the betatron. The duty cycle (time on/time off) of such magnets is usually low. Thus, the
total field energy is of greater concern than the instantaneous power. Energy for pulsed fields is
usually supplied from a switched capacitor bank. A ferromagnetic return flux core reduces the
circuit energy and lowers the cost and size of the capacitor bank.
To summarize, ferromagnetic materials have the following applications in non-superconducting
accelerator magnets:
1.The iron can be shaped near the gap to provide accurate magnetic field gradients.
2.The exciting coil power (or net field energy) is reduced significantly compared to an air
core circuit.
3.The iron conducts flux lines so that the exciting windings need not be located at the gap.
Equation (5.26) has the same form as that for an electric circuit consisting of a power source and
resistive elements with the following substitutions.
Magnetic Flux Ψ. The analogy of current in an electric circuit. Although the magnitude of B may
vary, the flux in any cross section is constant.
Magnetomotive Force. (Ampere turn product, NI.) The driving force for magnetic flux.
Magnetomotive force corresponds to the voltage in an electric
circuit.
Reluctance. Corresponds to the resistance. Equation 5.26 contains two reluctances in series, Rg =
g/Agµ o and Rc = l/Acµ. The higher the reluctance, the lower the flux for a given magnetomotive
force. The reluctance of the iron return flux core is much smaller than that of the gap (the load),
so it acts in the same way as a low-resistivity wire in an electric circuit.
The circuit analogy is useful for estimating operating parameters for complex magnets such as
those found in electric motors. To illustrate a magnetic field calculation, consider the
spectrometer magnet illustrated in Figure 5.19a. The components of reluctance already mentioned
can be supplemented by additional paths representing fringing flux (magnetic field lines bulging
out near the gap) and leakage flux (magnetic flux returning across the magnetic yoke without
traversing the gap). These reluctances can be determined by a solution of the Laplace equation for
the magnet. Reluctances are combined in series and in parallel, just as resistances. The equivalent
circuit is illustrated in Figure 5.19b. The effect of leakage flux on the field in the gap can be
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
Permanent magnet circuits have the advantage that a dc magnetic field can be maintained with no
power input. There are two drawbacks of permanent magnet circuits: (1) it is difficult to vary the
field magnitude in the gap and (2) bulky magnets are needed to supply high fields over large areas.
The latter problem has been alleviated by the development of rare-earth samarium cobalt
magnets which have a maximum energy product three times that of conventional Alnico alloys. In
other words, the same field configuration can be produced with a magnet of one-third the volume.
Permanent magnet quadrupole lenses (Section 6.10) are an interesting option for focusing in
accelerators (See K. Halbach, Physical and Optical Properties of Rare Earth Cobalt Magnets,
Nucl. Instrum. Methods 187, 109 (1981). In this section, we shall review some of the properties
of permanent magnetic materials and first-order principles for designing magnetic circuits.
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
The second quadrant of a hysteresis curve for some common permanent magnet materials is
shown in Figure 5.20. The plot is usually called the demagnetization curve. The most striking
difference between Figure 5.20 and the hysteresis curve for soft iron (Fig. 5.13) is that the
coercive force is about 100 times larger for the permanent magnets. In other words, it takes
considerably more energy to align the domains and to demagnetize the material. Generation of
magnetic fields in vacuum requires energy; a permanent magnet can produce fields because of the
stored energy received during magnetization.
Figure 5.20 can be used to calculate the field produced in the gap of a magnetic circuit. The
method used to find the operating point on the demagnetization curve is illustrated in Figure 5.21.
In the first part of the figure, the permanent magnet is included in a zero reluctance circuit
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
containing an ideal iron core (Hs = 0) with no gap. There is no free current. The circuital integral
of H is zero, so that Hm (the magnetic intensity in the permanent magnet) is zero. The magnetic
field in the loop is equal to Bm, the remanence field of the permanent magnet. Next, assume that
an air gap is introduced into the circuit, but excitation windings are placed around the gap with
the proper current to produce a field equal to Bm (Fig. 5.21b). The current in the windings is in the
same direction as the atomic currents in the ferromagnetic materials. Because the energy for the
vacuum fields is supplied by an external source, the circuit still appears to have zero reluctance.
The operating point of the permanent magnet remains at Hm = 0, Bm = Brm.
In the final state (Fig. 5.21c), the current in the excitation coils drops to zero. This is equivalent
to the addition of a negative current to the existing current. The negative current demagnetizes
the permanent magnet, or moves the operating point in Figure 5.20 to the left. Thus, an air gap in
a permanent magnet circuit acts like an excitation winding with a current opposed to the
atomic currents. There is no net applied current in the circuit of Figure 5.21c so that 1H(dl = 0.
Neglecting the reluctance of the iron core, the operating point of the permanent magnet is
determined by the gap properties through
H mL m HgLg B gLg/µ o. (5.27)
Energv Product. The product of magnet field times magnetic intensity at the operating point of a
permanent magnet, or HmBm.
Equation (5.27) can be used to demonstrate the significance of the energy product. We again take
the example of a simple circuit with a magnet, zero reluctance core, and air gap. Continuity of
flux implies that BgAg = BmAm, where Ag and Am are the cross-sectional areas of the gap and
magnet respectively. This condition, combined with Eq. (5.27), yields
2
(B g /2µ o) (A gLg) (HmBm/2) (A mLm). (5.28)
The first factor on the left is the magnetic field energy density in the gap, and the second term is
the gap volume. On the right, the first factor is one-half the energy product and the second factor
is the magnet volume. Thus, the magnet volume and the energy product determine the magnetic
field energy in the gap.
Energy product is given in joules per cubic meter (mks units) or in megagauss oersteds
(MG-Oe) in CGS units. The conversion is I MG-Oe = 7940 J/m3. Hyperbolic lines of constant
BmHm are plotted in Figure 5.20. This is a graphic aid to help determine the energy product at
different points of the demagnetization curve. A goal in designing a permanent magnet circuit is to
produce the required gap field with the minimum volume magnet. This occurs at the point on the
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Modification of Electric and Magnetic Fields by Materials
demagnetization curve where BmHm is maximum. In Figure 5.20, parameters of the circuit should
be chosen so that Hm is about 550 Oe.
Two examples will serve to illustrate methods of choosing permanent magnets. Both involve
first-order design of a simple circuit with no leakage or fringing flux; the second-order design
must invoke field calculations, tabulated gap properties or modeling experiments for an accurate
prediction. To begin, suppose that we constrain the gap parameters (Bg = 8 kG, Ag = 10 cm2 and
Lg = 1 cm and the type of magnetic material (Alnico 5). We must now determine the dimensions
of the magnet that will produce the gap field. Using Eq. (5.27) with Hg = 8 kOe and Hm = 600 Oe,
the length of the magnet must be 13.3 cm. The magnetic field is Bm = 8 kG, so that the minimum
magnet cross-sectional is 10 cm2.
In the second example, assume that the dimensions of the gap and magnet are constrained by
the application. The goal is to determine what magnetic material will produce the highest gap flux
and the value of this flux. For the simple circuit, the condition of constant flux can be combined
with Eq. (5.27) to give
HgLg/B gAg HmLm/B mAm Lg/µ oAg.
The expression on the right-hand side is the reluctance of the gap, Rg. We can then write
B m/Hm Lm/RgA m. (5.29)
With the stated conditions, the quantity BmHm must have a constant ratio. This motivates the
definition of the permanence coefficient.
Fiducial points are usually included in demagnetization curves to lay out load lines. Given the load
line, operating points on various permanent magnet materials can be determined. The highest gap
flux will be produced by the material with the highest energy product at the intersection. The gap
flux can then be determined from the magnet operating point.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
6
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The subject of charged particle optics is introduced in this chapter. The concern is the control of
the transverse motion of particles by shaped electric and magnetic fields. These fields bend
charged particle orbits in a manner analogous to the bending of light rays by shaped glass lenses.
Similar equations can be used to describe both processes. Charged particle lenses have extensive
applications in such areas as electron microscopy, cathode ray tubes, and accelerator transport.
In many practical cases, beam particles have small velocity perpendicular to the main direction
of motion. Also, it is often permissible to use special forms for the electric and magnetic fields
near the beam axis. With these approximations, the transverse forces acting on particles are linear;
they increase proportional to distance from the axis. The treatment in this chapter assumes such
forces. This area is called linear or Gaussian charged particle optics.
Sections 6.2 and 6.3 derive electric and magnetic field expressions close to the axis and prove
that any region of linear transverse forces acts as a lens. Quantities that characterize thick lenses
are reviewed in Section 6.4 along with the equations that describe image formation. The bulk of
the chapter treats a variety of static electric and magnetic field focusing devices that are
commonly used for accelerator applications.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
Particles in beams always have components of velocity perpendicular to the main direction of
motion. These components can arise in the injector; charged particle sources usually operate at
high temperature so that extracted particles have random thermal motions. In addition, the fields
in injectors may have imperfections of shape. After extraction, space charge repulsion can
accelerate particles away from the axis. These effects contribute to expansion of the beam.
Accelerators and transport systems have limited transverse dimensions. Forces must be applied to
deflect particles back to the axis. In this chapter, the problem of confining beams about the axis
will be treated. When accelerating fields have a time dependence, it is also necessary to consider
longitudinal confinement of particles to regions along the axis. This problem win be treated
in Chapter 13.
Charged particle lenses perform three types of operations. One purpose of lenses is to confine a
beam, or maintain a constant or slowly varying radius (see Fig. 6.1a). This is important in
high-energy accelerators where particles must travel long distances through a small bore. Velocity
spreads and space-charge repulsion act to increase the beam radius. Expansion can be countered
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
by continuous confining forces which balance the outward forces or through a periodic array of
lenses which deflect the particles toward the axis. In the latter case, the beam outer radius (or
envelope) oscillates about a constant value.
A second function of lenses is to focus beams or compress them to the smallest possible radius
(Fig. 6.1b). If the particles are initially parallel to the axis, a linear field lens aims them at a
common point. Focusing leads to high particle flux or a highly localized beam spot. Focusing is
important for applications such as scanning electron microscopy, ion microprobes, and
ion-beam-induced inertial fusion.
A third use of charged particle lenses is forming an image. (Fig. 6.1c). When there is a spatial
distribution of beam intensity in a plane, a lens can make a modified copy of the distribution in
another plane along the direction of propagation. An image is formed if all particles that leave a
point in one plane are mapped into another, regardless of their direction. An example of charged
particle image formation is an image intensifier. The initial plane is a photo-cathode, where
electrons are produced proportional to a light image. The electrons are accelerated and deflected
by an electrostatic lens. The energetic electrons produce an enhanced copy of the light image
when they strike a phosphor screen.
The terminology for these processes is not rigid. Transverse confinement is often referred to as
focusing. An array of lenses that preserves the beam envelope may be called a focusing channel.
The processes are, in a sense, interchangeable. Any linear field lens can perform all three
functions.
Many particle beam applications require cylindrical beams. The electric and magnetic fields of
lenses for cylindrical beams are azimuthally symmetric. In this section, analytic expressions are
derived expressions for such fields in the paraxial approximation. The term paraxial comes from
the Greek para meaning "alongside of." Electric and magnetic fields are calculated at small radii
with the assumption that the field vectors make small angles with the axis. The basis for the
approximation is illustrated for a magnetic field in Figure 6.2. The currents that produce the field
are outside the beam and vary slowly in z over scale lengths comparable to the beam radius.
Cylindrical symmetry allows only components Br and Bz for static magnetic fields. Longitudinal
currents at small radius are required to produce an azimuthal field Bθ. The assumptions of this
section exclude both particle currents and displacement currents. Similarly, only the electric field
components Er and Ez are included. In the paraxial approximation, B and E make small angles
with the axis so that Er « Ez and Br « Bz.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The following form for electrostatic potential is useful to derive approximations for paraxial
electric fields:
φ(r,z) φ(0,z) Ar (Mφ/Mz)|o Br 2 (M2φ/Mz 2)|o
(6.1)
Cr 3 (M3φ/Mz 3)|o Dr 4 (M4φ/Mz 4)|o ...
The z derivatives of potential are evaluated on the axis. Note that Eq. (6.1) is an assumed form,
not a Taylor expansion. The form is valid if there is a choice of the coefficients A, B, C,..., such
that φ(r, z) satisfies the Laplace equation in the paraxial approximation. The magnitude of terms
decreases with increasing power of r. A term of order n has the magnitude φo(∆r/∆z)n, where ∆r
and ∆z are the radial and axial scale lengths over which the potential varies significantly. In the
paraxial approximation, the quantity ∆r/∆z is small.
The electric field must go to zero at the axis since there is no included charge. This implies that
A = 0 in Eq. (6.1). Substituting Eq. (6.1) into (4.19), we find that the coefficients of all odd
powers of r must be zero. The coefficients of the even power terms are related by
4B (M2φ/Mz 2) 16D r 2 (M4φ/Mz 4)
(6.2)
... (M φ/Mz ) B r (M φ/Mz ) ... 0.
2 2 2 4 4
This is consistent if B = - 1/4 and D = - B/16 = 1/64. To second order in ∆r/∆z, φ(r, z) can be
expressed in terms of derivatives evaluated on axis by
φ(r,z) φ(0,z) (r 2/4) (M2φ/Mz 2)|o. (6.3)
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
This gives the useful result that the radial electric field can be expressed as the derivative of the
longitudinal field on axis:
E r(r,z) (r/2) [MEz(0,z)/Mz]. (6.5)
Equation (6.5) will be applied in deriving the paraxial orbit equation (Chapter 7). This equation
makes it possible to determine charged particle trajectories in cylindrically symmetric fields in
terms of field quantities evaluated on the axis. A major implication of Eq. (6.5) is that all
transverse forces are linear in the paraxial approximation. Finally, Eq. (6.5) can be used to
determine the radial variation of Ez. Combining Eq. (6.5) with the azimuthal curl equation (MEz/Mr
- MEr/Mz = 0) gives
Ez(r,z) Ez(0,z) (r 2/4) [M2Ez(0,z)/Mz 2]. (6.6)
The variation of Ez is second order with radius. In the paraxial approximation, the longitudinal
field and electrostatic potential are taken as constant in a plane perpendicular to the axis.
A parallel treatment using the magnetic potential shows that
B r(r,z) (r/2) [MBz(0,z)/Mz]. (6.7)
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
Figure 6.3 is an example of a paraxial magnetic field distribution. The fields are produced by two
axicentered circular coils with currents in the same direction. In plasma research, the field
distribution is called a magnetic mirror. It is related to the fields used in cyclotrons and betatrons.
The magnitude of Bz(0, z) is maximum at the coils. The derivative of Bz is positive for z > 0 and
negative for z < 0. Consider a positively charged particle with an axicentered circular orbit that
has a positive azimuthal velocity. If the particle is not midway between the coils, there will be an
axial force qvθBr. Equation (6.7) implies that this force is in the negative z direction for z > 0 and
the converse when z < 0. A magnetic mirror can provide radial and axial confinement of rotating
charged particles. An equivalent form of Eq. (6.6) holds for magnetic fields. Because MBz2/Mz2 is
positive in the mirror, the magnitude of Bz decreases with radius.
In this section, we shall derive the fact that all transverse forces that vary linearly away from an
axis can focus a parallel beam of particles to a common point on the axis. The parallel beam,
shown in Figure 6.4, is a special case of laminar motion. Laminar flow (from lamina, or layer)
implies that particle orbits at different radii follow streamlines and do not cross. The ideal laminar
beam has no spread of transverse velocities. Such beams cannot be produced, but in many cases
laminar motion is a valid first approximation. The derivation in this section also shows that linear
forces preserve laminar flow.
The radial force on particles is taken as Fr(r) = -A(z,vr) r. Section 6.2 showed that paraxial
electric forces obey this equation. It is not evident that magnetic forces are linear with radius since
particles can gain azimuthal velocity passing through radial magnetic fields. The proof that the
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
combination of magnetic and centrifugal forces gives a linear radial force variation is deferred to
Section 6.7.
Particle orbits are assumed paraxial; they make small angles with the axis. This means that vr «
vz. The total velocity of a particle is vo2 = vr2 + vz2. If vo is constant, changes of axial velocity are
related to changes of radial velocity by
∆vz/vz (v r/vz) (∆vr/vz).
Relative changes of axial velocity are proportional to the product of two small quantities in the
paraxial approximation. Therefore, the quantity vz is almost constant in planes normal to z. The
average axial velocity may vary with z because of acceleration in Ez fields. If vz is independent of
r, time derivatives can be converted to spatial derivatives according to
d/dt Y v z (d/dz). (6.8)
The interpretation of Eq. (6.8) is that the transverse impulse on a particle in a time ∆t is the same
as that received passing through a length element ∆z = vz∆t. This replacement gives differential
equations expressing radius as a function of z rather than t. In treatments of steady-state beams,
the orbits r(z) are usually of more interest than the instantaneous position of any particle.
Consider, for example, the nonrelativistic transverse equation of motion for a particle moving in
a plane passing through the axis in the presence of azimuthally symmetric radial forces
d 2r/dt 2 Fr(r,z,vz)/mo.
or
dr /dz Fr(r,z,vz)/mov z2 v z r /vz,
r dr/dz. (6.9)
A primed quantity denotes an axial derivative. The quantity r' is the angle between the particle
orbit and the axis. The motion of a charged particle through a lens can be determined by a
numerical solution of Eqs. (6.9). Assume that the particle has r = ro and r' = 0 at the lens
entrance. Calculation of the final position, rf and angle, rf’ determines the focal properties of
the fields. Further, assume that Fr is linear and that vz(0, z) is a known function calculated from
Ez(0, z). The region over which lens forces extend is divided into a number of elements of length
∆z. The following numerical algorithm (the Eulerian difference method) can be used to find a
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
particle orbit.
r(z∆z) r(z) r (z)∆z,
r1 ro,
r1 a1(0)ro∆z,
(6.11)
r2 roa1(0)ro,
r2
a1(0)ro∆z a1(∆z)ro∆z a2(∆z)a1(0)ro∆z.
Note that the quantity ro appears in all terms; therefore,, the position and angle are proportional to
ro at the three axial locations. By induction, this conclusion holds for the final position and angle,
rf and rf’. Although the final orbit parameters are the sum of a large number of terms (becoming
infinite as ∆z approaches zero), each term involves a factor of ro. There are two major results
of this observation.
1. The final radius is proportional to the initial radius for all particles. Therefore, orbits do
not cross. A linear force preserves laminar motion.
2. The final angle is proportional to ro; therefore, rf’ is proportional to rf. In the paraxial
limit, the orbits of initially parallel particles exiting the lens form similar triangles. All
particles pass through the axis at a point a distance rf/rf’ from the lens exit (Fig. 6.4).
The conclusion is that any region of static, azimuthally symmetric electric fields acts as a lens in
the paraxial approximation. If the radial force has the form +A(z,vz)r, the final radial velocity is
positive. In this case, particle orbits form similar triangles that emanate from a point upstream.
The lens, in this case, is said to have a negative focal length.
The lenses used in light optics can often be approximated as thin lenses. In the thin-lens
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
approximation, rays are deflected but have little change in radius passing through the lens. This
approximation is often invalid for charged particle optics; the Laplace equation implies that
electric and magnetic fields extend axial distances comparable to the diameter of the lens. The
particle orbits of Figure 6.4 undergo a significant radius change in the field region. Lenses in
which this occurs are called thick lenses. This section reviews the parameters and equations
describing thick lenses.
A general charged particle lens is illustrated in Figure 6.5. It is an axial region of electric and
magnetic fields that deflects (and may accelerate) particles. Particles drift in ballistic orbits (no
acceleration) in field-free regions outside the lens. The upstream field-free region is called the
object space and the downstream region is called the image space. Lenses function with particle
motion in either direction, so that image and object spaces are interchangeable.
Orbits of initially parallel particles exiting the lens form similar triangles (Fig. 6.5). If the exit
orbits are projected backward in a straight line, they intersect the forward projection of entrance
orbits in a plane perpendicular to the axis. This is called the principal plane. The location of the
principal plane is denoted H1. The distance from H1 to the point where orbits intersect is called
the focal length, f1. When H1 and f1 are known, the exit orbit of any particle that enters the lens
parallel to the axis can be specified. The exit orbit is the straight line connecting the focal point to
the intersection of the initial orbit with the principal plane. This construction also holds for
negative focal lengths, as shown in Figure 6.6.
There is also a principal plane (H2) and focal length (f2) for particles with negative vz. The focal
lengths need not be equal. This is often the case with electrostatic lenses where the direction
determines if particles are accelerated or decelerated. Two examples of f1 U f2 are the aperture
lens (Section 6.5) and the immersion lens (Section 6.6). A thin lens is defined as one where the
axial length is small compared to the focal length. Since the principal planes are contained in the
field region, H1 = H2. A thin lens has only one principal plane. Particles emerge at the same radius
they entered but with a change in direction.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
There are two other common terms applied to lenses, the lens power and the f-number. The
strength of a lens is determined by how much it bends orbits. Shorter focal lengths mean stronger
lenses. The lens power P is the inverse of the focal length, P = 1/f. If the focal length is measured
in meters, the power is given in m-1 or diopters. The f-number is the ratio of focal length to the
lens diameter: f-number = f/D. The f-number is important for describing focusing of nonlaminar
beams. It characterizes different optical systems in terms of the minimum focal spot size and
maximum achievable particle flux.
If the principal planes and focal lengths of a lens are known, the transformation of an orbit
between the lenses entrance and exit can be determined. This holds even for nonparallel entrance
orbits. The conclusion follows from the fact that particle orbits are described by a linear,
second-order differential equation. The relationship between initial and final orbits (r1, r1' ; rf, rf’)
can be expressed as two algebraic equations with four constant coefficients. Given the two initial
conditions and the coefficients (equivalent to the two principal planes and focal lengths), the final
orbit is determined. This statement will be proved in Chapter 8 using the ray transfer matrix
formalism.
Chapter 8 also contains a proof that a linear lens can produce an image. The definition of an
image is indicated in Figure 6.7. Two special planes are defined on either side of the lens: the
object plane and the image plane (which depends on the lens properties and the location of the
object). An image is produced if all particles that leave a point in the object plane meet at a point
in the image plane, independent of their initial direction. There is a mapping of spatial points from
one plane to another. The image space and object space are interchangeable, depending on the
direction of the particles. The proof of the existence of an image is most easily performed with
matrix algebra. Nonetheless, assuming this property, the principal plane construction gives the
locations of image and object planes relative to the lens and the magnification passing from one to
another.
Figure 6.7 shows image formation by a lens. Orbits in the image and object space are related by
the principal plane construction; the exit orbits are determined by the principal plane and focal
length. These quantities give no detailed information on orbits inside the lens. The arrows
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
represent an intensity distribution of particles in the transverse direction. Assume that each
point on the source arrow (of length D2) is mapped to a point in the image plane. The mapping
produces an image arrow of length D1. Parallel orbits are laminar, and the distance from the axis
to a point on the image is proportional to its position on the source. We want to find the locations
of the image and object planes (d1 and d2) relative to the principal planes, as well as the
magnification, M21 = D1/D2.
The image properties can be found by following two particle orbits leaving the object. Their
intersection in the image space determines the location of the image plane. The orbit with known
properties is the one that enters the lens parallel to the axis. If a parallel particle leaves the tip of
the object arrow, it exits the lens following a path that passes through the intersection with the
principal plane at r = D2 and the point f1. This orbit is marked a in Figure 6.7. In order to
determine a second orbit, we can interchange the roles of image and object and follow a parallel
particle that leaves the right-hand arrow in the -z direction. This orbit, marked b, is determined by
the points at H2 and f2. A property of particle dynamics under electric and magnetic forces is time
reversibility. Particles move backward along the same trajectories if -t is substituted for t. Thus, a
particle traveling from the original object to the image plane may also follow orbit b. If the two
arrows are in object and image planes, the orbits must connect as shown in Figure 6.7.
The image magnification for particles traveling from left to right is M21 = Dl/D2. For motion in
the opposite direction, the magnification is M12 = D2/D1. Therefore,
M21 M12 1. (6.12)
Referring to Figure 6.7, the following equations follow from similar triangles:
D1/y1 D2/f1, D1/f2 D2/y2. (6.13)
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
These are combined to give f1f2 = yly2. This equation can be rewritten in terms of the distances d1
and d2 from the principal planes as f1f2 = (d2- f2)(d1 - fl). The result is the thick-lens equation
In light optics, the focal length of a simple lens does not depend on direction. In charged particle
optics, this holds for magnetic lenses or unipotential electrostatic lenses where the particle energy
does not change in the lens. In this case, Eq. (6.14) can be written in the familiar form
where f1 = f2 = f.
In summary, the following procedure is followed to characterize a linear lens. Measured data or
analytic expressions for the fields of the lens are used to calculate two special particle orbits. The
orbits enter the lens parallel to the axis from opposite axial directions. The orbit calculations are
performed analytically or numerically. They yield the principal planes and focal lengths.
Alternately, if the fields are unknown, lens properties may be determined experimentally. Parallel
particle beams are directed into the lens from opposite directions to determine the lens
parameters. If the lens is linear, all other orbits and the imaging properties are found from two
measurements.
In principle, the derivations of this section can be extended to more complex optical systems.
The equivalent of Eq. (6.14) could be derived for combinations of lenses. On the other hand, it is
much easier to treat optical systems using ray transfer matrices (Chapter 8). Remaining sections of
this chapter are devoted to the calculation of optical parameters for a variety of discrete
electrostatic and magnetostatic charged particle lenses.
The electrostatic aperture lens is an axicentered hole in an electrode separating two regions of
axial electric field. The lens is illustrated in Figure 6.8. The fields may be produced by grids with
applied voltage relative to the aperture plate. If the upstream and downstream electric fields differ,
there will be radial components of electric field near the hole which focus or defocus particles. In
Figure 6.8, axial electric fields on both sides of the plate are positive, and the field at the left is
stronger. In this case, the radial fields point outward and the focal length is negative for positively
charged particles traveling in either direction. With reversed field direction (keeping the same
relative field strength) or with stronger field on the right side (keeping the same field polarity), the
lens has positive focal length. The transverse impulse on a particle passing through the hole is
119
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
proportional to the time spent in the radial electric fields. This is inversely proportional to the
particle velocity which is determined, in part, by the longitudinal fields. Furthermore, the final
axial velocity will depend on the particle direction. These factors contribute to the fact that the
focal length of the aperture lens depends on the transit direction of the particle, or f1 U f2.
Radial electric fields are localized at the aperture. Two assumptions allow a simple estimate of
the focal length: (1) the relative change in radius passing through the aperture is small (or, the
aperture is treated in the thin lens approximation) and (2) the relative change in axial velocity is
small in the vicinity of the aperture. Consider a particle moving in the +z direction with vr = 0.
The change in vr for nonrelativistic motion is given by the equation
In Eq. (6.16), the time derivative was converted to a spatial derivative and Er was replaced
according to Eq. (6.5).
With the assumption of constant r and vz in the region of nonzero radial field, Eq. (6.16) can be
integrated directly to yield
where vza is the particle velocity at the aperture and vrf is the radial velocity after exiting. The
quantity vzf is the final axial velocity; it depends on the final location of the particle and the field
Ez2. The focal length is related to the final radial position (r) and the ratio of the radial velocity to
the final axial velocity by vrf/vzf _ r/f. The focal length is
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
When the particle kinetic energy is large compared to the energy change passing through the
lens, vza _ vzf, and we find the usual approximation for the aperture lens focal length
f ` 2m ovzf2 /q(Ez2Ez1) 4T/q(Ez2Ez1). (6.19)
The charged particle extractor (illustrated in Fig. 6.9) is a frequently encountered application of
Eq. (6.19). The extractor gap pulls charged particles from a source and accelerates them. The
goal is to form a well-directed low-energy beam. When there is high average beam flux, grids
cannot be used at the downstream electrode and the particles must pass through a hole. The hole
acts as an aperture lens, with E1 > 0 and E2 = 0. The focal length is negative; the beam emerging
will diverge. This is called the negative lens effect in extractor design. If a parallel or focused
beam is required, a focusing lens can be added downstream or the source can be constructed with
a concave shape so that particle orbits converge approaching the aperture.
The geometry of the electrostatic immersion lens is shown in Figure 6.10. It consists of two tubes
at different potential separated by a gap. Acceleration gaps between drift tubes of a standing-wave
linear accelerator (Chapter 14) have this geometry. The one-dimensional version of this lens
occurs in the gap between the Dees of a cyclotron (Chapter 15). Electric field distributions for a
cylindrical lens are plotted in Figure 6.10.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
Following the treatment used for the aperture lens, the change in radial velocity of a particle
passing through the gap is
∆vr vrf dz [qE r(r,z)/movz]. (6.20)
m
The radial electric field is symmetric. There is no deflection if the particle radius and axial velocity
are constant. In contrast to the aperture lens, the focusing action of the immersion lens arises from
changes in r and vz. in the gap region. Typical particle orbits are illustrated in Figure 6.11. When
the longitudinal gap field accelerates particles, they are deflected inward on the entrance side of
the lens and outward on the exit side. The outward impulse is smaller because (1) the particles are
closer to the axis and (2) they move faster on the exit side. The converse holds for a deceleratin-
gap. Particles are deflected to larger radii on the entrance side and are therefore more strongly
influenced by the radial fields on the exit side. Furthermore, vz is lower at the exit side enhancing
122
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
123
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
focusing. The focal length for either polarity or charge sign is positive.
The orbits in the immersion lens are more complex than those in the aperture lens. The focal
length must be calculated from analytic or numerical solutions for the electrostatic fields and
numerical solutions of particle orbits in the gap. In the paraxial approximation, only two orbits
need be found. The results of such calculations are shown in Figure 6.12 for varying tube diameter
with a narrow gap. It is convenient to reference the tube potentials to the particle source so that
the exit energy is given by Tf = qV2. With this convention, the abscissa is the ratio of exit to
entrance kinetic energy. The focal length is short (lens power high) when there is a significant
change in kinetic energy passing through the lens. The einzel lens is a variant of the immersion
lens often encountered in low-energy electron guns. It consists of three colinear tubes, with the
middle tube elevated to high potential. The einzel lens consists of two immersion lenses in series;
it is a unipotential lens.
An interesting modification of the immersion lens is foil or grid focusing. This focusing method,
illustrated in Figure 6.13, has been used in low-energy linear ion accelerators. A conducting foil or
mesh is placed across the downstream tube of an accelerating gap. The resulting field pattern
looks like half of that for the immersion lens. Only the inward components of radial field are
present. The paraxial approximation no longer applies; the foil geometry has first-order focusing.
Net deflections do not depend on changes of r and vz as in the immersion lens. Consequently,
focusing is much stronger. Foil focusing demonstrates one of the advantages gained by locating
charges and currents within the beam volume, rather than relying on external electrodes or coils.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The charges, in this case, are image charges on the foil. An example of internal currents, the
toroidal field magnetic sector lens, is discussed in Section 6.8.
The solenoidal magnetic lens is illustrated in Figure 6.14. It consists of a region of cylindrically
125
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
symmetric radial and axial magnetic fields produced by axicentered coils carrying azimuthal
current. This lens is the only possible magnetic lens geometry consistent with cylindrical paraxial
beams. It is best suited to electron focusing. It is used extensively in cathode ray tubes, image
intensifiers, electron microscopes, and electron accelerators. Since the magnetic field is static,
there is no change of particle energy passing through the lens; therefore, it is possible to perform
relativistic derivations without complex mathematics.
Particles enter the lens through a region of radial magnetic fields. The Lorentz force (evz × Br)
is azimuthal. The resulting vθ leads to a radial force when crossed into the Bz fields inside the lens.
The net effect is a deflection toward the axis, independent of charge state or transit direction.
Because there is an azimuthal velocity, radial and axial force equations must be solved with the
inclusion of centrifugal and coriolis forces.
The equations of motion (assuming constant γ) are
γmo (dv r/dt) qvθBz γmovθ2/r, (6.21)
The axial equation of motion is simply that vz is constant. We assume that r is approximately
constant and that the particle orbit has a small net rotation in the lens. With the latter condition,
the Coriolis force can be neglected in Eq. (6.22). If the substitution dvθ/dt ` vz (dvθ/dz) is made
and Eq. (6.7) is used to express Br in terms of dBz(0, z)/dz, Eq. (6.22) can be integrated to give
vθ qrB z/2γmo constant 0. (6.23)
126
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
7.4). It holds even when the assumptions of this calculation are not valid. Equation (6.23) implies
that particles gain no net azimuthal velocity passing completely through the lens. This comes
about because they must cross negatively directed radial magnetic field lines at the exit that cancel
out the azimuthal velocity gained at the entrance. Recognizing that dθ/dt = vθ/r and assuming that
Bz is approximately constant in r, the angular rotation of an orbit passing through the lens is
(θθo) [qBz(0,z)/2γmovz] (zzo). (6.24)
Rotation is the same for all particles, independent of radius. Substituting Eq. (6.23) and
converting the time derivative to a longitudinal derivative, Eq. (6.21) can be integrated to give
dz [qBz(0,z)/γm ovz]2 r
` m
vrf
rf . (6.25)
vz 4
The quantity in brackets is the reciprocal of a gyroradius [Eq. (3.38)]. Focusing in the solenoidal
lens (as in the immersion lens) is second order; the inward force results from a small azimuthal
velocity crossed into the main component of magnetic field. Focusing power is inversely
proportional to the square of the particle momentum. The magnetic field must increase
proportional to the relativistic mass to maintain a constant lens power. Thus, solenoidal lenses are
effective for focusing low-energy electron beams at moderate field levels but are seldom used for
beams of ions or high-energy electrons.
The lenses of Sections 6.5-6.7 exert cylindrically symmetric forces via paraxial electric and
magnetic fields. We now turn attention to devices in which focusing is one dimensional. In other
words, if the plane perpendicular to the axis is resolved into appropriate Cartesian coordinates (x,
y), the action of focusing forces is different and independent in each direction. The three examples
we shall consider are (1) horizontal focusing in a sector magnet (Section 6.8), (2) vertical
focusing at the edge of a sector magnet with an inclined boundary (Section 6.9), and (3)
quadrupole field lenses (Section 6.10).
A sector magnet (Fig. 6.15) consists of a gap with uniform magnetic field extending over a
bounded region. Focusing about an axis results from the location and shape of the field
127
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
boundaries rather than variations of the field properties. To first approximation, the field is
uniform [B = Bx(x, y, z) x = Bo x] inside the magnet and falls off sharply at the boundary. The x
direction (parallel to the field lines) is usually referred to as the vertical direction. The y direction
(perpendicular to the field lines) is the horizontal direction. The beam axis is curved. The axis
corresponds to one possible particle orbit called the central orbit. The purpose of focusing
devices is to confine non-ideal orbits about this line. Sector field magnets are used to bend beams
in transport lines and circular accelerators and to separate particles according to momentum in
charged particle spectrometers.
The 180- spectrograph (Fig. 6.16) is an easily visualized example of horizontal focusing in a
sector field. Particles of different momentum enter the field through a slit and follow circular
orbits with gyroradii proportional to momentum. Particles entering at an angle have a displaced
orbit center. Circular orbits have the property that they reconverge after one half revolution
with only a second-order error in position. The sector magnet focuses all particles of the same
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The focal distance is positive for α < 90-; emerging particle orbits are convergent. It is zero at α =
90-; initially parallel particles are focused to a point at the exit of a 90- sector. At 180- the
focusing distance approaches infinity.
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Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The sector field magnet must usually be treated as a thick lens. This gives us an opportunity to
reconsider the definition of the principal planes, which must be clarified when the beam axis is
curved. The plane H1 is the surface that gives the correct particle orbits in the image space. The
appropriate construction is illustrated in Figure 6.18a. A line parallel to the beam axis in the image
plane is projected backward. The principal plane is perpendicular to this line. The exit orbit
intersects the plane at a distance equal to the entrance distance. If a parallel particle enters the
sector field a distance y1 from the beam axis, its exit orbit is given by the line joining the focal
point with a point on the principal plane y1 from the axis. The focal length is the distance from the
principal plane to the focal point. The plane H2 is defined with respect to orbits in the -z direction.
The focal length of a sector can be varied by inclining the boundary with respect to the beam
axis. Figure 18b shows a boundary with a positive inclination angle, β. When the inclination angle
is negative, particles at a larger distance from the central orbit gyrocenter travel longer distances
130
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
in the field and are bent more. The focusing power of the lens in the horizontal direction is
increased. Conversely, for β > 0, horizontal focusing is decreased. We will see in Section 6.9 that
in this case there is vertical focusing by the fringing fields of the inclined boundary.
A geometric variant of the sector field is the toroidal field sector lens. This is shown in Figure
6.19. A number of magnet coils are arrayed about an axis to produce an azimuthal magnetic field.
The fields in the spaces between coils are similar to sector fields. The field boundary is determined
by the coils. It is assumed that there are enough coils so that the fields are almost symmetric in
azimuth. The field is not radially uniform but varies as Bθ(R,Z) = BoRo/R, where R is the distance
from the lens axis. Nonetheless, boundaries can still be determined to focus particles to the lens
axis; the boundaries are no longer straight lines. The figure shows a toroidal field sector lens
designed to focus a parallel, annular beam of particles to a point.
The location of the focal point for a toroidal sector lens depends on the particle momentum.
Spectrometers based on the toroidal fields are called orange spectrometers because of the
resemblance of the coils to the sections of an orange when viewed from the axis. They have the
advantage of an extremely large solid angle of acceptance and can be used for measurements at
131
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
low flux levels. The large acceptance outweighs the disadvantage of particle loss on the coils.
The toroidal field sector lens illustrates the advantages gained by locating applied currents
within the volume of the beam. The lens provides first-order focusing with cylindrical symmetry
about an axis, as contrasted to the solenoidal field lens, which has second-order focusing. The
ability to fine tune applied fields in the beam volume allows correction of focusing errors
(aberrations) that are unavoidable in lenses with only external currents.
The term edge focusing refers to the vertical forces exerted on charged particles at a sector
magnet boundary that is inclined with respect to the main orbit. Figure 6.20 shows the fringing
field pattern at the edge of a sector field. The vertical field magnitude decreases away from the
magnet over a scale length comparable to the gap width. Fringing fields were neglected in treating
perpendicular boundaries in Section 6.8. This is justified if the gap width is small compared to the
particle gyroradius. In this case, the net horizontal deflection is about the same whether or not
some field lines bulge out of the gap. With perpendicular boundaries, there is no force in the
vertical direction because By = 0.
In analyzing the inclined boundary, the coordinate z is parallel to the beam axis, and the
coordinate ξ is referenced to the sector boundary (Fig. 6.20). When the inclination angle β is
nonzero, there is a component of B in the y direction which produces a vertical force at the edge
when crossed into the particle vz. The focusing action can be calculated easily if the edge is treated
as a thin lens; in other words, the edge forces are assumed to provide an impulse to the particles.
The momentum change in the vertical direction is
∆Px dt (qv zBy). (6.28)
m
132
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The integral is taken over the time the particle is in the fringing field. The y component of
magnetic field is related to the ξ component of the fringing field by By = Bξ sin β. The integral of
Eq. (6.28) can be converted to an integral over the particle path noting that vzdt = dz. Finally, the
differential path element can be related to the incremental quantity dξ by dz = dξ/ cos β. Equation
(6.28) becomes
∆vx (e/γmo) dζ Bζ tanβ. (6.29)
m
This integral can be evaluated by applying the equation 1B(ds = 0 to the geometry of Figure 6.21.
The circuital integral extends from the uniform field region inside the sector magnet to the zero
field region outside. This implies that Bξdξ = Box. Substituting into Eq. (6.29), the vertical
momentum change can be calculated. It is proportional to x, and the focal length can be
determined in the usual manner as
γmovz/qBo rgo
fx . (6.30)
tanβ tanβ
The quantity rgo is the particle gyroradius inside the constant-field sector magnet. When β = 0
(perpendicular boundary), there is no vertical focusing, as expected. When β > 0, there is vertical
focusing, and the horizontal focusing is decreased. If β is positive and not too large, there can still
be a positive horizontal focal length. In this case, the sector magnet can focus in both directions.
This is the principal of the dual-focusing magnetic spectrometer, illustrated in Figure 6.22.
Conditions for producing an image of a point source can be calculated using geometric arguments
similar to those already used. Combined edge and sector focusing has also been used in a
high-energy accelerator, the zero-gradient synchrotron [A. V. Crewe, Proc. Intern. Conf. High
Energv Accelerators, CERN, Geneva, 1959, p. 359] (Section 15.5).
133
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
The magnetic quadrupole field was introduced in Section 5.8. A quadrupole field lens is illustrated
in Figure 5.16. It consists of a magnetic field produced by hyperbolically shaped pole pieces
extending axially a length l. In terms of the transverse axes defined in Figure 5.161, the field
components are Bx = Boy/a and By = Box/a. Because the transverse magnetic deflections are
normal to the field components, Fx x and Fy y. Motions in the transverse directions are
independent, and the forces are linear. We can analyze motion in each direction separately, and we
know (from Section 6.3) that the linear fields will act as one-dimensional focusing (or defocusing)
lenses.
The orbit equations are
d 2y/dz 2 (qBo/γm oavz) y, (6.31)
The time derivatives were converted to axial derivatives. The solutions for the particle orbits are
134
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
where x1, y1, x1', and y1' are the initial positions and angles. The parameter κm is
135
Electric and Magnetic Field Lenses
where Bo is the magnetic field magnitude at the surface of the pole piece closest to the axis and a
is the minimum distance from the axis to the pole surface. A similar expression applies to the
electrostatic quadrupole lens
κe qEo/γmoav z2. (m 2)
(6.38)
In the electrostatic case, the x and y axes are defined as in Figure 4.14.
The principal plane and focal length for a magnetic quadrupole lens are shown in Figure 6.23 for
the x and y directions. They are determined from the orbit expressions of Eqs. (6.33) and (6.34).
The lens acts symmetrically for particle motion in either the +z or -z directions. The lens focuses
in the x direction but defocuses in the y direction. If the field coils are rotated 90- (exchanging
North and South poles), there is focusing in y but defocusing in x. Quadrupole lenses are used
extensively for beam transport applications. They must be used in combinations to focus a beam
about the axis. Chapter 8 will show that the net effect of equal focusing and defocusing
quadrupole lenses is focusing.
136
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
7
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing
Fields
In this chapter, we shall study methods for calculating particle orbits in extended regions of static
electromagnetic forces. One important application of such calculations is the determination of
electric or magnetic lens properties. Once the fields have been calculated by the Laplace equation,
orbit solutions lead to the four discrete quantities that characterize a linear lens (focal lengths and
principal points). Properties of orbits in complex optical systems with many focusing elements or
in long periodic lens arrays can then be predicted by the combination of the discrete lens
parameters through matrix algebra; this is the subject of Chapter 8. The matrix approach gives
information on orbits only at the lens boundaries. If detailed information on orbits inside the lenses
is required, then the numerical methods of this chapter must be extended through the entire
optical system. The matrix approach is not applicable to some accelerators, such as the betatron,
with focusing forces that are invariant along the direction of beam propagation. In this case, the
best approach is the direct solution of orbits in the extended fields.
Section 7.1 discusses general features of particle orbits in constant transverse forces and
introduces betatron oscillations. Some concepts and parameters fundamental to charged particle
accelerators are introduced in Section 7.2, including beam distribution functions, focusing channel
acceptance, the ν value in a circular accelerator, and orbital resonance instabilities. An example of
focusing in continuous fields, particle motion in a magnetic gradient field, is treated in Section 7.3.
This transport method is used in betatrons and cyclotrons.
Methods to solve particle orbits in cylindrically symmetric electric and magnetic fields are
reviewed in the second part of the chapter. The paraxial ray equation is derived in Section 7.5.
This equation has extensive applications in all regimes of particle acceleration, from cathode ray
137
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
tubes to multi-GeV linacs. As a preliminary to the paraxial ray equation, the Busch theorem is
derived in Section 7.4. This theorem demonstrates the conservation of canonical angular
momentum in cylindrically symmetric electric and magnetic fields. Section 7.6 introduces methods
for the numerical solution of the paraxial ray equation. Two examples are included: determination
of the beam envelope in an electrostatic acceleration column and calculation of the focal length of
an electrostatic immersion lens. The numerical methods can also be applied to the
direct solution of three-dimensional equations of particle motion.
In many instances, particle motion transverse to a beam axis is separable along two Cartesian
coordinates. This applies to motion in a magnetic gradient field (Section 7.3) and in an array of
quadrupole lenses (Section 8.7). Consider one-dimensional transverse paraxial particle motion
along the z axis in the presence of a linear force, Fx = Fo(x/xb). The quantity Fo is the force at the
edge of the beam, xb. The y motion can be treated separately. The axial velocity is approximately
constant (Section 6.3). The equation of motion is (Section 2.10)
γmo (d 2x/dt 2) ` Fo (x/xb). (7.1)
where
λx 2π 2
γmov z x b/Fo.
Particle motion is harmonic. All particle orbits have the same wavelength; they differ only in
amplitude and phase. Transverse particle motions of this type in accelerators are usually referred
to as betatron oscillations since they were first described during the development of the betatron
[D.W. Kerst and R. Serber, Phys. Rev. 60, 53 (1941)]. The quantity λx is called the betatron
wavelength.
138
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
It is often useful to replace the action of an array of discrete lenses by an equivalent continuous
transverse focusing force rather than apply the formalisms developed in Chapter 8. This
approximation is used, for example, to compare the defocusing effect of continuous-beam space
charge forces with confinement forces to derive the maximum allowed current in a quadrupole
channel. Orbits in an array of identical, discrete lenses approach the harmonic solution of Eq. (7.3)
when the distance between lenses is small compared to the betatron wavelength, as shown in
Figure 7.1. Consider lenses of focal length f and axial spacing d in the limit that d « f (thin-lens
approximation). We want to calculate the change in x and vx passing through one drift space and
one lens. If vx is the transverse velocity in the drift region, then (following Fig. 7.1)
∆x (v x/vz) d. (7.4)
where x is the particle position entering the thin lens. Equations (7.4) and (7.5) can be converted
to differential equations by associating ∆z with d and letting ∆z ; 0,
dx/dz vx/vz, dvx/dz (v z/fd) x.
The solution to this equation is again harmonic, with λx = (fd)½ . The condition for the validity of
the continuous approximation, λx » d, is equivalent to d « f. Averaging the transverse force over
many lenses gives
Fx (γmovz2/fd) x. (7.6)
139
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
Equation (7.6) is derived by expressing Eq. (7.5) in terms of time derivatives and multiplying both
sides by γmo. The conclusion is that particle orbits in any periodic linear focusing system approach
harmonic orbits when the betatron wavelength is long compared to the period of the system.
Perfectly laminar beams cannot be achieved in practice. Imperfections have their origin, in part, in
the particle source. For example, thermonic sources produce spatially extended beams at finite
current density with a random distribution of transverse velocity components resulting from
thermal effects. Laminarity can also be degraded by field errors in beam transport elements. The
result is that the particles that constitute a beam have a spread in position and a spread in velocity
at each position. The capability of a focusing system is parametrized by the range of particle
positions and transverse velocities that can be transported without beam loss. This parameter is
called the acceptance.
In order to understand the significance of acceptance, we must be familiar with the concept of a
particle distribution. The transverse particle distribution of a beam at an axial location is the set of
the positions and velocities of all particles (xi(z), vxi(z), yi(z), vyi(z)). In cylindrical beams, particles
are parametrized by (ri(z), vri(z), θi(z), vθi(z)). Methods of collective physics have been developed
to organize and to manipulate the large amount of information contained in the distribution. When
motions in two dimensions are independent (as in the betatron or a quadrupole focusing channel),
distributions in x-vx and y-vy can be handled independently.
One-dimensional distributions are visualized graphically by a phase space plot. For motion in the
x direction, the axes are vx (ordinate) and x (abscissa). At a particular axial location, each particle
is represented by a point on the plot (xi(z), vxi(z)). A beam distribution is illustrated in Figure 7.2.
Normally, there are too many particles in a beam to plot each point; instead, contour lines have
been drawn to indicate regions of different densities of particle points. In the specific case shown,
particles in the beam are symmetric about the x axis but asymmetric in velocity. This corresponds
to a beam launched on the axis with an aiming error. The vertical extent of the distribution
indicates that there is a velocity spread at each position. In a laminar beam, all particles at the
same position have the same transverse velocity. The phase space plot for a laminar beam is
therefore a straight line of zero thickness.
Acceptance is the set of all particle orbit parameters (xi, vxi) at the entrance to a focusing system
or optical element that allow particles to propagate through the system without loss. Acceptance
is indicated as a bounded area on a phase space plot. Clearly, the particle distribution at the
entrance to a focusing channel must be enclosed within the acceptance to avoid beam loss. For
example, the acceptance of a one-dimensional aperture is illustrated in Figure 7.3a. All particles
with displacement xi < xo pass through, independent of vxi. An acceptable particle distribution
boundary is designated as a dashed line. Matching a beam to a focusing system consists of
operating on the beam distribution so that it is enclosed in the acceptance. For example, matching
140
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
to the aperture is simple. The beam is focused by an upstream lens so that the displacement of the
peripheral particles is less than xo. As a second example, consider the acceptance of the
continuous linear focusing system discussed in Section 7.1. We assume that there is some
maximum dimension beyond which particles are lost, xmax = xo. This may be the width of the
vacuum chamber. The focusing force and the maximum width define the maximum transverse
velocity for confined particle orbits,
vx v z (2πxo/λx). (7.7)
The acceptance of a linear focusing system has boundaries on both axes of an x-vx plot (Fig. 7.3b).
A more detailed analysis shows that the allowed orbit parameters fill an ellipse with major (or
minor) radii xo and (2πxo/λx)vz. The maximum velocity for the discrete lens system (in the
continuous approximation) is
vx vz xo2/fd. (7.8)
A large acceptance means that the system can transport particles with a wide spread in entrance
position and angle. A transport system with small acceptance places constraints on the size of and
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
current density from a particle source. Generally, low beam flux is associated with small
acceptance. For a given maximum channel dimension, the acceptance grows with increased
focusing force (Fo). This results in shorter betatron wavelength.
The quantity ν is defined for circular transport systems, such as betatrons, synchrotrons, or
storage rings. It is the ratio of the circumference of the system (C) to the betatron wavelength.
The betatron wavelength may differ in the two transverse directions, so that
νx C/λx, νy C/λy. (7.9)
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
143
Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
energy is anisotropic; the axial energy is much larger than the transverse energy. Thus,
energy is transferred to the transverse oscillations, ultimately resulting in particle loss. The
condition νx = 1 or νy = 1 must always be avoided.
The model of Figure 7.5 is an analogy for resonant instabilities. A harmonic oscillator is
deflected by a time-dependent forcing function. We assume the forcing function exerts an impulse
∆p with periodicity 2π/ω:
F(t) ∆p δ (t 2mπ/ω) (m 1,2,3,...).
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The response of the linear system to the force of Eq. (7.11) is (by superposition)
∆p ω cos(ωt) ωt) cos(3ωt)
x(t) cos(2 ... . (7.13)
mπ 2
ωo nω2 ωo 4ω2
2
ωo 9ω2
2
The pendulum mass represents a beam particle deflected from the primary orbit. The betatron
oscillation frequency is ωo. If we assume that F(t) represents a system perturbation at a particular
azimuth, then ω is the rotation frequency of the particle. By Eq. (7.10), ν = ωo/ω. Equation (7.13)
can be rewritten
Thus, the steady-state amplitude of particle oscillations diverges when ν has an integer value. A
complete analysis of the time-dependent response of the particles shows that the maximum
growth rate of oscillations occurs for the ν = 1 resonance and decreases with higher-order
numbers. Systems with high ν and strong focusing are susceptible to resonance instabilities.
Resonance instabilities do not occur in weak focusing systems where ν < 1.
The most familiar example of focusing in an accelerator by continuous fields occurs in the
betatron. In this device, electrons are confined for relatively long times as they are inductively
accelerated to high energy. We shall concentrate on transport problems for constant energy
particles in this section. The treatment is generalized to particles with changing energy in Chapter
11.
Section 3.7 showed how a uniform magnetic field confines an energetic charged particle in a
circular orbit normal to the field. Particles can drift freely along the field direction. In a betatron,
particles are enclosed in a toroidal vacuum chamber centered on the main circular orbit. Beams
always have spreads in angle and position of particle orbits about the main orbit. It is necessary to
supplement the uniform field with additional field components so that non-ideal particle orbits
oscillate about the main axis rather than drift away. Coordinates to analyze particle motion are
shown in Figure 7.6. One set (x, z, s) is referenced to the primary orbit: s points along the beam
axis, x is normal to z and the field, while z is directed along the field. We shall also use polar
coordinates (r, θ, z) centered at the main orbit gyrocenter, which is also the axis of symmetry of
the field.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
To begin, consider motion in a uniform magnetic field, Bo. Orbits viewed normal to the field are
circles, including the orbits of perturbed particles (Fig. 7.7). The particle path shown as a solid
line Figure 7.7 has nonzero radial velocity at the primary orbit. This is equivalent to a
displacement of its gyrocenter from the system axis. Note that excursions away from the primary
orbit are bounded and approximately harmonic. In this sense, there is radial focusing in a uniform
magnetic field. A particle distribution with a spread in vx occupies a bounded region in x. This is
not true in the z direction. A spread in vz causes the boundary of the particle distribution to
expand indefinitely. In order to confine a beam, we must either add additional focusing lenses
around the torus to supplement the bending field or modify the bending field. We shall consider
the latter option and confine attention to fields with azimuthal symmetry.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The zero-order particle velocity is in the θ direction relative to the field axis. The magnetic field
must have a radial component in order to exert a force in the z direction. Consider, first, the field
distribution from an air core magnet. Figure 7.8a shows a uniform solenoidal field. If extra
windings are added to the ends of the solenoid (Fig. 7.8b), the field magnitude increases away
from the midplane. The bent field lines have a component Br. In the paraxial approximation
Br (r/2) [dBz(0,z)/dz]. (7.15)
The variation of Br and Bz about the axis of symmetry of the field is sketched in Figure 7.8c. The
axial field is minimum at z = 0; therefore, Br varies approximately linearly with z about this plane
at a constant radius. Directions of the cross products are indicated in Figure 7.8b. The axial force
is in the -z direction for z > 0 and in the +z direction for z < 0. Particles are confined about the
plane of minimum Bz. A field with magnitude decreasing away from a plane is defocusing.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The geometry of Figure 7.8b is used for the confinement of hot fusion plasmas. It is called the
magnetic mirror because particles are reflected from the region of increased Bz. In accelerator
applications, particles are confined to a small region about z = 0. Following the discussion of
Section 5.7, iron is used to carry the magnetic flux in all other regions to minimize power
requirements. We can easily determine the shape of non-saturated pole pieces that will generate
the same field patterns as Figures 7.8a and b by following the method of Section 5.5. The pole
faces must lie on surfaces of constant magnetic potential normal to the field lines. After choosing
the gap width, the surfaces are determined by connecting a curve everywhere normal to the field
lines (Fig. 7.8d). Most vacuum field patterns generated by distributed coils can be duplicated by
shaped pole pieces.
The equation L × B = 0 implies that
MB z/Mr MBr/Mz. (7.16)
The second derivative of Bz is positive at the symmetry plane for a magnetic mirror. Thus, Bz(r, 0)
is not uniform, but has a negative radial gradient. The bending field gradient is usually
parametrized by the field index. The field index is a function of radius given by
Comparing Eqs. (7.17) and (7.18), the magnitude of the field index increases quadratically with
radius in the symmetry plane of a paraxial magnetic field:
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The derivatives are taken at r = rg, z = 0. A number of terms can be eliminated. In the symmetry
plane, Bz is a minimum so that MBz/Mz = 0. Inspection of Figure 7.8b shows that Br(rg,0) = 0.
Because Br is zero everywhere in the symmetry plane, MBr/Mr = 0. Combining this with the
condition B = 0 implies that MBz/Mz = 0. Finally, the equations ×B = 0 sets the constraint that
MBr/Mz = MBz/Mr. The magnetic field expressions become
Br (MB z/Mr) z, (7.21)
Bz B o (MBz/Mr) x, (7.22)
Replacing the bending field gradient with the field index, we find that
Br (noBo/rg) z, (7.23)
Bz Bo (noBo/rg) x, (7.24)
We can verify by direct substitution that these fields satisfy the paraxial relation of Eq. (6.7).
The next step is to determine the particle equations of motion for small x and z. The particle
energy is a constant (parametrized by γo) because only static magnetic fields are present. The
relativistic equations of motion are
γomo (d 2r/dt 2) 2
γomovθ /r qvθBz, (7.25)
The radial equation can be simplified by substituting x = r - rg and the field expression of Eq.
(7.24),
d 2x/dt 2 vθ2/(rgx) qvθ (Bon oBox/rg)/γmo
(7.27)
2
(vθ /rg) (vθ/rg) x qvθBo/γom o (noqvθBo/γomorr) x.
2
The second expression was derived using the binomial expansion and retaining only first-order
terms in xlr,. The zero-order force terms on the right-hand side cancel. The first-order equation of
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
radial motion is
(d 2x/dt 2) (vθ/rg)2 (1 n o) x ω2g (1 no) x. (7.28)
The last form is written in terms of the gyrofrequency of the ideal particle orbit. The equation for
motion along the bending field lines can be rewritten as
(d 2z/dt 2) ω2g no z. (7.29)
Equations (7.28) and (7.29) describe uncoupled harmonic motions and have the solutions
x xo cos[ 1no ωgt φ1], (7.30)
The equations for betatron oscillations have some interesting features. In a uniform field (no =
0), first-order radial particle motion is harmonic about the ideal orbit with frequency ωg. This is
equivalent to a displaced circle, as shown in Figure 7.7. When a field gradient is added, the
transverse oscillation frequency is no longer equal to the rotation frequency. We can write
ωx/ωg 1n o νx. (7.32)
When no is positive (a negative field gradient, or mirror field), νx is less than unity and the
restoring force decreases with radius. Particles moving outward are not reflected to the primary
axis as soon; conversely, particles moving inward are focused back to the axis more strongly. The
result is that the orbits precess, as shown in Figure 7.9. When no > 1, the field drops off too
rapidly to restore outward moving particles to the axis. In this case, 1no is imaginary so that x
grows exponentially. This is an example of an orbital instability.
In the z direction, particle orbits are stable only when no > 0. Relating the z oscillation frequency
to ωg gives
νz n o. (7.33)
We conclude that particles can be focused around the primary circular orbit in an azimuthally
symmetric bending magnet if the field has a negative radial gradient such that
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
Focusing of this type in a circular accelerator is called weak focusing. In the stable regime, both νx
and νz are less than unity. Therefore, resonant instability is not a critical problem in weak focusing
machines.
In principle, we have collected sufficient techniques to calculate particle orbits in any steady-state
electric or magnetic field. Three equations of motion must be solved simultaneously for the three
dimensions. Three components of electric and magnetic fields must be known throughout the
region of interest. In practice, this is a difficult procedure even with digital computers. It is costly
in either calculational time or memory space to specify field components at all positions.
The paraxial ray equation affords a considerable simplification for the special case of cylindrical
beams where particle orbits have small inclination angles with respect to the axis. Use of paraxial
forms (Section 6.2) means that electric and magnetic fields can be calculated quickly from
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
specified quantities on the axis. Symmetry arguments and conservation principles are used to
simplify the particle equations of motion. The result is that only one equation for radial motion
need be solved to determine the beam envelope. The paraxial ray equation is derived in Section
7.5. In this section, we shall determine a result used in the derivation, the conservation of
canonical angular momentum. The method used, the Busch theorem [H. Busch, Z. Phys. 81, 974
(1926)] provides more physical insight than the usual approach from the Hamiltonian formulation.
Consider a region of azimuthally symmetric, paraxial electric and magnetic fields where particles
move almost parallel to the z axis. A cylindrical coordinate system (r, θ, z) is referenced to the
beam axis (Fig. 7.10). (Note that this coordinate system differs from the one used in Section 7.3.)
We seek an equation that describes the azimuthal motion of charged particles in terms of on-axis
quantities. The Lorentz force law for azimuthal motion [Eq. (3.34)] is
(dPθ/dt) pr (dθ/dt) q [(dr/dt) B z(dz/dt) Br] qEθ. (7.35)
Inspection of Eq. (7.35) shows that changes in vθ arise from either interactions of particle velocity
with static magnetic field components or an azimuthal electric field. In the paraxial approximation,
we will see that such an electric field can arise only from time variations of axial magnetic flux.
We will treat the two terms on the right-hand side of Eq. (7.35) separately and then combine them
to a modified equation for azimuthal motion. In the modified equation, vθ depends only on the
quantity Bz(0,z).
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
To begin, consider a particle moving thorough a region of static field components Br and Bz (Fig.
7.10). The flux function ψ is defined as the flux of axial magnetic field enclosed in a circle of
radius r at z, where r and z are particle coordinates. (Note that this is a calculational definition; the
particle does not necessarily move in a circle.) The flux function changes as the particle moves
along its orbit. First, assume that the particle moves radially a distance ∆r. The change in ψ is
∆ψ Bz(r,z) 2πr ∆r. (7.36)
Equation (7.36) reflects the fact that Bz is almost constant in the paraxial approximation and that
the area of the circle increases by about 2πr∆r. Similarly, axial motion produces a change in ψof
∆ψ (πr 2) (MB z/Mr) ∆z 2πr Br ∆r. (7.37)
The area of the circle is constant, but the magnitude of Bz may change if there is an axial gradient.
The last form is derived by substitution from Eq. (6.7).
The change in ψ from a particle motion is obtained by adding Eqs. (7.36) and (7.37). Dividing
both sides of the sum by ∆t and taking the limit ∆t Y 0, we find that
dψ/dt 2πr [B z (dr/dt) Br (dz/dt)]. (7.38)
The derivative indicates the change in flux function arising from particle motion when the
magnetic fields are static. The right-hand side of Eq. (7.38) is identical to the right side of Eq.
(7.35) multiplied by 2πr. Substituting, Eq. (7.35) becomes
dpθ/dt p r dθ/dt (dψ/dt)/2πr. (7.39)
The left-hand side of Eq. (7.39) can be modified by noting that pθ = γmor(dθ/dt) and pr =
γmo(dr/dt):
1 d(γmor dθ/dt)
2
dpθ dθ d 2θ dr dθ dr dθ
pr γmo r .
dt dt dt 2 dt dt dt dt r dt
or
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The quantity ψo is a constant equal to the value of ψ when vθ = 0. Solving for vθ,
vθ (q/2πγmor) (ψψo). (7.41)
The azimuthal velocity is a function only of r, ψ and ψo. Because particles usually have vθ = 0
when they are generated, ψo is taken as the flux in the source plane enclosed in a circle of radius
ro, where ro is the extraction radius. Variation of Bz is second order with radius in the paraxial
approximation, so that ψ ` (πr2)Bz(0,z).θ
Equation (7.40) can be cast in the form familiar from Hamiltonian dynamics by substituting Eq.
(4.53) into Eq. (3.25):
r
ψ (2πr dr ) [(1/r )M(r Aθ)/Mr ] 2πrAθ. (7.42)
m
0
Aθ is the only allowed component of the vector potential in the paraxial approximation. In this
circumstance, the vector potential has a straightforward physical interpretation. It is proportional
to the flux enclosed within a radius divided by 2πr. The quantity ψ/2π is thus synonymous with
the stream function (Section 4.7). Lines of constant enclosed flux must lie along field lines
because field lines do not cross one another.
To complete the derivation, we must include the effects on azimuthal motion when the magnetic
field changes in time. An azimuthal electrostatic field is not consistent with symmetry in θ because
the existence of such a field implies variation of φ along θ. A symmetric azimuthal electric field
can be generated inductively by a changing axial magnetic field. We will derive a modified form
for the term qEθ in Eq. (7.35) by neglecting spatial gradients of Bz. By Faraday's law [Eq. (3.26)],
the azimuthal electric field acting on a particle at radius r is Eθ = dψ/dt, where the derivative
implies variation of ψ in time neglecting spatial variations. If we add contributions from spatial
and temporal variations of ψ, we arrive at Eq. (7.41) as the general modified equation of
azimuthal motion. The time derivative is interpreted as the change in ψ arising from all causes. In
the Hamiltonian formulation of particle dynamics, the canonical angular momentum in the
presence of a magnetic field is constant and is defined as
Pθ γmorvθ qrAθ qψo/2π. (7.43)
The paraxial ray equation is derived by combining the properties of paraxial fields, the
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
conservation of canonical angular momentum, and the conservation of energy. It can be used to
determine the envelope (outer radius) of a beam as a function of position along the axis in terms
of the electrostatic potential and longitudinal magnetic field on the axis, φ(0, z) and Bz(0, z).
The equation is based on the following assumptions.
1.The beam is cylindrically symmetric.
2.Beam properties vary in space but not in time.
3.The fields are cylindrically symmetric, with components Er, Ez, Br and Bz. This
encompasses all axisymmetric electrostatic lenses and the solenoidal magnetic lens.
4.The fields are static.
5.Particle motion is paraxial.
6. Fields are paraxial and transverse forces are linear.
In the following derivation, it is also assumed that particle orbits are laminar and that there are no
self-fields. Terms can be added to the paraxial ray equation to represent spreads in transverse
velocity and space charge forces.
The laminarity of orbits means that the radial projections of all particle orbits are similar. They
differ only in amplitude. It is thus sufficient to treat only the boundary orbit. The axial velocity is
approximately constant in any plane normal to the axis. Time derivatives are replaced by vz(d/dz)
because we are interested in the steady-state beam envelope as a function of axial position. The
azimuthal equation of motion is (Section 7.4)
dθ/dt (q/2πγm or 2) (ψψo). (7.44)
The quantity y may vary with axial position since zero-order longitudinal electric fields are
included. The only nontrivial equation of motion is in the radial direction:
d(γm o dr/dt)/dt γmovθ2/r q (ErvθBz)
(7.45)
mo dr/dt dγ/dt γm o d 2r/dt 2 γmovθ2/r.
The quantity zo is the location of the source where particles have zero kinetic energy. The absolute
electrostatic potential is used. A change in position leads to a change in γ:
∆γ qE z∆z/moc 2.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
Dividing both sides by ∆t and taking the limit of zero interval, we find that
dγ/dt qEzvz/m oc 2 qEzβ/moc. (7.47)
Equations (7.44) and (7.47) are used to replace dγ/dt and dθ/dt in Eq. (7.45).
2 2
d 2r qEzβ(dr/dt) qBz r q 2ψo 1 qEr
0. (7.48)
dt 2 γmoc 4γ2mo
2 2
4π2γ2mo r
3 γmo
The radial electric field is replaced according to Er = (-r/2)(dEz/dz). The derivative is a total
derivative since the fields are assumed static and Ez has no first-order radial variation. The final
step is to replace all time derivatives with derivatives in z. For instance, it can be easily shown
from Eq. (7.47) that MEz/Mz = (moc2/q)(d2γ/dz2 ). The second time derivative of r becomes
vz2(d2r/dz2) + vz(dr/dz)(dvz/dz). When the substitutions are carried out, the paraxial ray equation is
obtained.
The prime symbol denotes a differentiation with respect to z. The quantities γ, γ', γ", and Bz are
evaluated on the axis. The quantity γ(0, z) and its derivatives are related to the electrostatic
potential [Eq. (7.46)] which is determined via the Laplace equation.
Consider the final term in Eq. (7.49). The quantity ψo is the magnetic flux enclosed by the beam
at the source. This is elucidated in Figure 7.11 for an electron beam. The figure shows an
immersed cathode located within the magnetic field. When ψo is nonzero, the final term in Eq.
(7.49) has a strong radial dependence through the 1/r3 factor. The term has a dominant defocusing
effect when the beam is compressed to a small spot. This is a result of the fact that particles
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
produced in a magnetic field have a nonzero canonical angular momentum and are unable to pass
through the axis. Thus, care should be taken to exclude magnetic fields from the cathode of the
electron source in applications calling for fine focusing. When ψo = 0, the paraxial ray equation
is linear since the remaining terms contain only first powers of r", r', and r.
The nonrelativistic approximation can be used for beams of ions or low-energy electrons.
Substituting γ = 1 _ qφ/moc2 in the limit qφ « moc2, Eq. (7.49) becomes
2 2
φ qBz qψo/4π2m o
2φr
φr
0. (7.50)
2 4mo r3
If there are only electric fields present, Eq. (7.50) reduces to the familiar form
r (φ /2φ) r (φ /4φ) r 0.
(7.51)
where, again, the prime symbol indicates an axial derivative. An alternate form for Eq. (7.51) is
d(r φ)
r d(φ /r ) 0.
3 2
(7.52)
dz 4 dz
The paraxial ray equation is a second-order differential equation that describes a beam envelope
or the radial orbit of a particle. It is possible to solve the equation analytically in special field
geometries, such as the narrow-diameter aperture lens or the solenoidal lens with sharp field
boundaries. In most realistic situations, it is rare to find closed forms for field variations on axis
that permit analytic solutions. Thus, numerical methods are used in almost all final designs of
charged particle optical systems. In this section, we shall briefly consider a computational method
to solve the paraxial ray equation. The method is also applicable to all second-order differential
equations, such as the general particle equations of motion.
A second-order differential equation can be written as two first-order equations by treating r' as
a variable:
(dr/dr) r 0,
(7.53)
where f (r, r’, z) is a general function. For instance, f = -(φ’r’/2φ+φ”r/4φ) in Eq. (7.51).
Equations (7.53) and (7.54) must be solved simultaneously. In order to illustrate the method of
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
An obvious first approach to solving Eq. (7.55) by finite difference methods would be to
approximate the derivative by (∆r/∆z) to arrive at the algorithm,
r(z∆z) ` r(z) f(r,z) ∆z. (7.56)
Given an initial condition, r(zo), the solution r(z) can be determined in steps.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The algorithm of Eq. (7.56) is called the Eulerian difference method. The drawback of this
approach is apparent if we express Eq. (7.55) in integral form.
z∆z
r(z∆z) r(z) f(r,z ) dz . (7.57)
m
z
Because we do not know r(z) over the interval ∆z, the essence of a finite difference method is to
find an estimate of the integral that leads to a good approximation for the continuous function.
The estimate of the Eulerian method is 1f (r, z') dz' ` f (r, z)∆z, as shown in Figure 7.12 a. This
introduces a first-order error, so that the final result will be accurate to only order ∆z.
We could get a much better approximation for the integral if we knew the value of f (r, z) at z +
∆z/2. The integral is then approximated as f(r,z+∆z/2)∆z. There is cancellation of first-order errors
as shown in Figure 7.12b. The basis of the two-step method is to make an initial estimate of the
value of f(r,z+∆z/2)∆z by the Eulerian method and then to use the value to advance r. The
two-step algorithm is
Although this involves two operations to advance r, it saves computation time in the long run
because the error between the finite difference approximation and the actual value is of order ∆z2.
The two-step method is an example of a space-centered (or time-centered) difference method
becuase the integral is estimated symmetrically in the interval. The extension of the algorithm of
Eqs. (7.58) to the case of two coupled first-order differential equations [Eqs. (7.53) and (7.54)] is
The extra work involved in programming a higher-order finite difference scheme is worthwhile
even for simple orbit problems. Figure 7.13 shows results for the calculation of a circular orbit
described by the equations (d2x/dt2) + y = 0, (d2y/dt2) - x = 0. The initial coordinates are (x = 1, y
y = 0). The relative error in final position (∆x/x) after one revolution is plotted as a function of the
number of time steps (∆t = 2π/n). The two-step method achieves 1% accuracy with only 25 steps,
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
while the accuracy of the Eulerian method is no better than 20% after 100 steps.
As an example of the solution of the paraxial ray equation, consider ion acceleration in an
electrostatic acceleration column. The nonrelativistic equation with electric fields only [Eq.
(7.51)] can be used. The column, illustrated in Figure 7.14, is found on Van de Graaff
accelerators and on electrostatic injectors for high-energy accelerators. A static potential in the
range 0.1 to 10 MeV exists between the entrance and the extraction plates. The inside of the
column is at high vacuum while the outside is usually immersed in a high-voltage insulating
medium such as sulfur hexafluoride gas or transformer oil. A solid vacuum insulator separates the
two regions. The insulator has greater immunity to vacuum breakdown if it is separated into a
number of short sections by metal grading rings (see Section 9.5). The rings are connected to a
high-resistance voltage divider so that the voltage is evenly distributed between the insulator
sections. Thick grading rings can also play a role in focusing a beam on the axis of the column.
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
Consider, first, the field distribution when the rings are thin. If the thin rings extend to a radius
that is large compared to the aperture, then the electric field on the axis is uniform with z. The
quantity φ” is zero; hence the third term in Eq. (7.51) vanishes and there is no radial focusing. The
second term in Eq. (7.51) is nonzero, but it does not lead to beam focusing. This term
corresponds to the decrease in dr/dz from the increase in vz with acceleration. In contrast, there
are focusing forces when the grading rings are thick. In this case equipotential lines are
periodically compressed and expanded along the axis (Fig. 7.15a) leading to radial electric fields.
We express potential relative to the particle source (absolute potential). Assume that ions are
injected into the column with energy qαVo, where -αVo is the absolute potential of the entrance
plate. The potential decreases moving down the column (Fig. 7.14). Radial electric field is taken
in the form
E r(r,z) ` (βr/2) sin(2πz/d), (7.60)
where d is the ring spacing and the origin (z = 0) corresponds to the entrance plate. The form of
Eq. (7.60) is confirmed by a numerical solution of the Laplace equation (Fig. 7.15a), which also
gives the parameter β. The longitudinal electric field is calculated from Eqs. (6.5) and (7.60) as
EZ(r,z) ` Vo/d Vo (βd/2πVo) cos(2πz/d), (7.61)
where Vo is the voltage between rings. This leads to the following expression and its first two
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Calculation of Particle Orbits in Focusing Fields
The derivatives φ' and φ" can be determined from Eq. (7.62).
Substitution of Eq. (7.62) and its derivatives into Eq. (7.51) leads to the results illustrated in
Figure 7.15b for a choice of β = 0.27 and α = 1.5. Note that in the region between the symmetry
planes of rings there is a focusing section followed by a defocusing section. The cumulative effect
is focusing because the particle gains axial energy and is less affected by positive radial fields on
the downstream side.
As a final application, consider the immersion lens of Section 6.6. The variation of axial
potential corresponding to Figure 6.10 is plotted in Figure 7.16. An empirical fit to the potential
between two accelerating tubes with a smallgap and radius a is given by [see P. Grivet, Electron
Optics, Vol. I, translated by P. W. Hawkes, (Pergamon, Oxford, 1972) 208].
In Eq. 7.63 a is the tube radius and κ = φ1/φ2 (where φ1 is the upstream absolute potential and φ2
is the downstream potential). Equation (7.63) was used as input to a two-step paraxial ray
equation program to obtain the orbits of Figure 6.11. The orbit solutions lead to the thin-lens
focal length of Figure 6.12.
164
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
8
Transfer Mattices and Periodic Focusing
Systems
Periodic focusing channels are used to confine high-energy beams in linear and circular
accelerators. Periodic channels consist of a sequence of regions called focusing cells containing
one or more charged particle optical elements. A focusing cell is the smallest unit of periodicity in
the channel. The main application of periodic channels is in high-energy accelerators that utilize
strong focusing. For example, the focusing channel of a linear ion accelerator consists typically of
a series of magnetic quadrupole lenses with alternating north-south pole orientation. Thus, along
either transverse axis, the lenses are alternately focusing and defocusing. We shall see that such a
combination has a net focusing effect that is stronger than a series of solenoid lenses at the same
field strength. A quadrupole focusing channel can therefore be constructed with a much smaller
bore diameter than a solenoid channel of the same acceptance. The associated reduction in the
size and power consumption of focusing magnets has been a key factor in the development of
modern high-energy accelerators. Periodic focusing channels also have application at low beam
energy. Configurations include the electrostatic accelerator column, the electrostatic Einzel lens
array and periodic permanent magnet (PPM) channels used in high-power microwave tubes.
The transfer matrix description of beam transport in near optical elements facilitates the study of
165
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
Transfer matrices describe changes in the transverse position and angle of a particle relative to the
main beam axis. We assume paraxial motion and linear fields. The axial velocity vz and the
location of the main axis are assumed known by a previous equilibrium calculation. If x and y are
the coordinates normal to z, then a particle orbit at some axial position can be represented by the
four-dimensional vector (x, x', y, y'). In other words, four quantities specify the particle orbit. The
quantities x' and y' are angles with respect to the axis; they are equivalent to transverse velocities
if vz is known. We further assume that the charged particle optical system consists of a number of
separable focusing elements. Separable means that boundary planes between the elements can be
identified. We seek information on orbit vectors at the boundary planes and do not inquire about
details of the orbits within the elements. In this sense, an optical element operates on an entrance
orbit vector to generate an output orbit vector. The transfer matrix represents this operation.
Orbits of particles in a magnetic quadrupole lens were discussed in Section 6.10. The same
equations describe the electric quadrupole with a correct choice of transverse axes and the
replacement κm ; κe. In the following discussion, κ can represent either type of lens. According to
Eqs. (6.31) and (6.32), motions in the x and y directions are separable. Orbits can therefore be
represented by two independent two-dimensional vectors, u = (x, x') and v = (y, y'). This
separation holds for other useful optical elements, such as the magnetic sector field (Section 6.8)
and the focusing edge (Section 6.9). We shall concentrate initially on analyses of orbits along one
coordinate. Orbit vectors have two components and transfer matrices have dimensions 2 × 2.
Consider motion in the x direction in a quadrupole lens oriented as shown in Figure 5.16. The
166
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
lens is focusing in the x direction. If the lens has a length l, the exit parameters are related to the
entrance parameters by
xf xi cos( κl) x i sin( κl)/ κ,
(8.1)
xf xi κ sin( κl) xi cos( κl).
(8.2)
The lens converts the orbit vector ui = (xi, xi') into the vector uf = (xf, xf'). The components of uf
are linear combinations of the components of ui. The operation can be written in matrix notation
as
uf AF ui, (8.3)
if AF is taken as
cos( κl) sin( κl)/ κ
AF , (8.4)
κ sin( κl) cos( κl)
where the subscript F denotes the focusing direction. For review, the rule for multiplication of a 2
× 2 matrix times a vector is
a11 a12 x a11x a12x
. (8.5)
a21 a22 x a21x a22x
If the poles in Figure 5.16 are rotated 90-, the lens defocuses in the x direction. The transfer
matrix in this case is
cosh( κl) sinh( κl)/ κ
AD , (8.6)
κ sinh( κl) cosh( κl)
Quadrupole lenses are usually used in the limit κ l 1 . In this case, the trigonometric and
hyperbolic functions of Eqs. (8.4) and (8.6) can be expanded in a power series. For reference, the
power series forms for the transfer matrices are
1Γ2/2Γ4/24... (ΓΓ3/6...)/ κ
AF , (8.7)
κ(ΓΓ3/6...) 1Γ2/2Γ4/24...
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
and
1Γ2/2Γ4/24... (ΓΓ3/6...)/ κ
AD , (8.8)
κ(ΓΓ /6...)
3
1Γ /2Γ /24...
2 4
where Γ κl . The example of the quadrupole illustrates the method for finding the transfer
matrix for a linear optical element. Numerical or analytic orbit calculations lead to the
identification of the four matrix components. The transfer matrix contains complete information
on the properties of the lens as an orbit operator.
When the action of a focusing system is not decoupled in x and y, the full four-dimensional
vector must be used and the transfer matrices have the form
O O G G
O O G G
G G O O
.
G G O O
A focusing system consisting of quadrupole lenses mixed with axisymmetric elements (such as
solenoid lens) has coupling of x and y motions. The transfer matrix for this system has coupling
components represented by the open boxes above. Sometimes, in the design of particle
spectrometers (where beam energy spread is of prime concern), an extra dimension is added to the
orbit vector to represent chromaticity, or the variations of orbit parameters with energy [see P.
Dahl, Introduction to Electron and Ion Optics (Academic Press, New York, 1973) Chapter 2]
In this case, the orbit vector is represented as u = (x, x', y, y', T).
The following examples illustrate the concept of ray transfer matrices and indicate how they are
derived. The simplest case is the thin one-dimensional lens, illustrated in Figure 8.1. Only the
angle of the orbit changes when a particle passes through the lens. Following Section 6.4, the
transformation of orbit variables is
xf xi,
(8.9)
xf
xi x/f,
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
where f is the focal length. This can be written in the form of Eq. (8.3) with the transfer matrix,
1 0
A . (8.11)
1/f 1)
The matrix for a diverging lens is the same except for the term a21 which equals +1/f. In general,
the sign of a21 indicates whether the optical element (or combination of elements) is focusing or
defocusing.
An optical element is defined as any region in a focusing system that operates on an orbit vector
to change the orbit parameters. Thus, there is a transfer matrix associated with translation in
field-free space along the z axis (Fig. 8.2). In this case, the distance from the axis changes
according to xf xi x i d , where d is the length of the drift space. The angle is unchanged.
169
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
We have already studied the magnetic sector lens with uniform field (Section 6.8). A gradient can
be added to the sector field to change the focal properties by varying the width of the gap, as
shown in Figure 8.3. Consider the following special case. The magnet has boundaries
perpendicular to the main orbit so that there is no edge focusing. Furthermore, the field gradient is
parallel to the radius of curvature of the main orbit. With these assumptions, the sector field of
Figure 8.3 is a pie-shaped segment of the betatron field studied in Section 7.3. The field variation
near the main radius is characterized by the field index no [Eq. (7.18)]. Motions about the main
axis in the horizontal and vertical direction are decoupled and are described by independent 2 × 2
matrices. Applying Eq. (7.30), motion in the horizontal plane is given by
x A cos[ 1no (z/rg) φ], (8.12)
The initial position and angle are related to the amplitude and phase by xi = Acosφ and
xi 1no A sinφ/rg . In order to determine the net effect of a sector (with transit distance
d αrg ) on horizontal motion, we consider two special input vectors, (xi, 0) and (0, xi'). In the
first case φ = 0 and in the second φ = π/2. According to Eqs. (8.12) and (8.13), the final orbit
parameters for a particle entering parallel to the main axis are
xf xi cos( 1no d / rg), (8.14)
and
xf
xi ( 1no/rg) sin( 1no d / rg), (8.15)
Similarly, if the particle enters on the main axis at an angle, the final orbit parameters are
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
and
xf
xi cos( 1no d / rg).
(8.17)
The factor d/rg is equal to α, the angle subtended by the sector. Combining the results of Eqs.
(8.14)-(8.17), the transfer matrix is
Following the development of Section 6.8, initially parallel beams are focused in the horizontal
direction. The focal point is located a distance
f rg/tan( 1no α) (8.20)
beyond the sector exit. This should be compared to Eq. (6.27). When no is negative (a positive
field gradient moving out along the radius of curvature), horizontal focusing is strengthened.
Conversely, a positive field index decreases the horizontal focusing. There is also vertical focusing
when the field index is positive. The distance to the vertical focal point is
f rg/tan( n o α) (8.21)
If no = +0.5, horizontal and vertical focal lengths are equal and the sector lens can produce a
two-dimensional image. The dual-focusing property of the gradient field is used in charged
particle spectrometers.
Particles may travel in either direction through a sector magnet field, so there are two transfer
171
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
matrices for the device. The matrix for negatively directed particles can be calculated directly. The
transfer matrix for particles moving backward in the sector field is the inverse of the matrix for
forward motion. The inverse of a 2 × 2 matrix
a11 a12
A
a21 a22
is
1 a22 a12
A . (8.22)
detA a21 a11
The determinant of the sector field transfer matrix in the horizontal direction is equal to 1. The
inverse is
Equation (8.24) is equal to Eq. (8.18) with the replacement α ; -α. The negative angle
corresponds to motion in the -z direction. The effect of the element is independent of the
direction. The same holds true for any optical element in which the energy of the charged particle
is unchanged. We can verify that in this case detA = 1.
Acceleration gaps in linear accelerators have the geometry of the immersion lens (Figure 6.10).
This lens does not have the same focal properties for particle motion in different directions.
Assume the focal length for motion of nonrelativistic particles in the accelerating direction, fa, is
known. This is a function of the lens geometry as well as the absolute potentials of each of the
tubes. The upstream potential is φlwhile the downstream potential is φ2. The quantity ξ is defined
as the ratio of the exit velocity to the entrance velocity and is equal to ξ = φ2/φ1 . In the
thin-lens approximation, a particle's position is constant but the transverse angle is changed. If the
particle entered parallel to the axis in the accelerating direction, it would emerge at an angle
-xi/fa. Similarly, a particle with an entrance vector (0, xi') emerges at an angle xi’/ξ. The traverse
velocity is the same, but the longitudinal velocity increases. The general form for the transfer
matrix of a thin electrostatic lens with acceleration is
172
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
1 0
A . (8.25)
1/f a 1/ξ
The determinant has the value detA 1/ξ U 1 . The transfer matrix for a decelerating lens is the
inverse of A. Applying Eq. (8.22) and inverting signs so that the particle travels in the +z
direction,
1 0
A . (8.26)
ξ/f a ξ
In the thin-lens limit, the accelerating and decelerating focal lengths are related by f d f a/ξ.
To conclude the discussion of transfer matrices, we consider how the four components of
transfer matrices are related to the focal lengths and principal planes of Gaussian optics (Chapter
6). Consider the uniform sector field of Figure 8.4. This acts as a thick lens with a curved main
axis. An orbit vector (1, 0) is incident from the left. The relationship between the emerging orbit
and the matrix components as well as the focal length and principal plane H1 are indicated on the
figure. Applying the law of similar triangles, the focal length is given by f1 = -l/a11. The principal
plane is located a distance z1 = (1 - a11)/a21 from the boundary. Thus, the components a11 and a2l
are related to f1 and H1. When the matrix is inverted, the components a12 and a22 move to the first
column. They are related to f2 and H2 for particles traveling from right to left. The matrix and
Gaussian descriptions of linear lenses are equivalent. Lens properties are completely determined
by four quantities.
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
Matrix algebra makes it relatively easy to find the cumulative effect of a series of transport
devices. A single optical element operates on an entrance orbit vector, u0, changing it to an exit
vector, u1. This vector may be the entrance vector to another element, which subsequently
changes it to u2. By the superposition property of linear systems, the combined action of the two
elements can be represented by a single matrix that transforms u0 directly to u2.
If A is the transfer matrix for the first element and B for the second, the process can be written
symbolically,
u1 A u0 , u2 B u1 B (A u0),
or
u2 C u0 .
The matrix C is a function of A and B. The functional dependence is called matrix multiplication
and is denoted C = BA. The rule for multiplication of two 2 × 2 matrices is
c11 c12 b11 b12 a11 a12
C , (8.27)
c21 c22 b21 b22 a21 a22
where
c11 b11a11 b12a21, c12 b11a12 b12a22,
c21 b21a11 b22a21, c22 b21a21 b22a22.
We shall verify the validity of Eq. (8.27) for the example illustrated in Figure 8.5. The optical
174
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
system consists of two one-dimensional elements, a thin lens with focal length f followed by a
drift space d. The particle entrance orbit is (x0, x0'). The position and angle emerging from the
lens are x1 = x0 and x1' = x0' - x0/f. Traveling through the drift space, the orbit angle remains
constant but the displacement changes by an amount ∆x = x1'd. The total transformation is
x2 x0 (x0 x0/f) d x0 (1 d/f) xod,
(8.28)
x2 x0 x0/f.
(8.29)
We can easily verify that C is the matrix product of Eq. (8.11) by Eq. (8.10).
It is important to note that the mathematic order of matrix multiplication must replicate the
geometric order in which the elements are encountered. Matrix multiplication is not commutative,
so that AB U BA. The inequality can be demonstrated by calculating the transfer matrix for a drift
space followed by a lens. The effect of this combination is not the same as a lens followed by a
drift space. Consider a parallel orbit entering the two systems. In the drift-lens geometry, the
particle emerges at the same position it entered. In the second combination, the final position will
be different. Multiplying transfer matrices in the improper order is a frequent source of error. To
reiterate, if a particle travels in sequence through elements represented by A1, A2, ... , An-1, An,
then the combination of these elements is a matrix given by
C An An1 ... A2 A1. (8.31)
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
1 d1 1 0 1 d2
C
0 1 1/f 1 0 1
(8.32)
1d1/f d1d2d1d2/f
.
1/f 1d2/f
The position of the output vector in component form is x3 c11x0 c12x0 . An image is formed if
c12 = 0. This is equivalent to 1/f (1/d1) (1/d2). This is the thin-lens formula of Eq. (6.15).
When the image condition holds, M x2/x1 c11.
A quadrupole lens focuses in one coordinate direction and defocuses in the other. A single lens
cannot be used to focus a beam to a point or to produce a two-dimensional image.
Two-dimensional focusing can be accomplished with combinations of quadrupole lenses. We will
study the focal properties of two (doublets) and three quadrupole lenses (triplets). Quadrupole
lens combinations form the basis for most high-energy particle transport systems. They occur as
extended arrays or as discrete lenses for final focus to a target. Quadrupole lens combinations are
convenient to describe since transverse motions are separable in x and y if the poles (electrodes)
are aligned with the axes as shown in Figures 4.14 (for the electrostatic lens) and 5.16 (for the
magnetic lens). A 2 × 2 matrix analysis can be applied to each direction.
The magnetic quadrupole doublet is illustrated in Figure 8.6. We shall consider identical lenses
in close proximity, neglecting the effects of gaps and edge fields. It is not difficult to extend the
treatment to a geometry with a drift space between the quadrupoles. Relative to the x direction,
176
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
the first element is focusing and the second is defocusing. This is represented symbolically as
F D
where particles move from left to right. Conversely, in the y direction the doublet is denoted
D F
The transfer matrices for the combination of the two elements can be found by matrix
multiplication of Eqs. (8.4) and (8.6). The multiplication must be performed in the proper order.
The result for an FD channel is
cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ (coshΓsinΓcosΓsinhΓ)/ κ
CFD . (8.33)
κ(cosΓsinhΓcoshΓsinΓ) cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ
cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ (coshΓsinΓcosΓsinhΓ)/ κ
CDF . (8.34)
κ(cosΓsinhΓcoshΓsinΓ) cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ
Equations (8.33) and (8.34) have two main implications. First, the combination of equal
defocusing and focusing elements leads to net focusing, and, second, focusing is different in the x
and y directions. As we found in the previous section, the term c21 of the transfer matrix
determines whether the lens is focusing or defocusing. In this case,
c21 κ (cos κlsinh κlcosh κlsin κl). We can verify by direct computation that c21 = 0 at
κl 0 and it is a monotonically decreasing function for all positive values of κl . The reason
for this is illustrated in Figure 8.7, which shows orbits in the quadrupoles for the FD and DF
directions. In both cases, the orbit displacement is larger in the focusing section than in the
defocusing section; therefore, the focusing action is stronger. Figure 8.7 also shows that the focal
points in the x and y directions are not equal. An initially parallel beam is compressed to a line
rather than a point in the image planes. A lens with this property is called astigmatic. The term
comes from the Latin word stigma, meaning a small mark. A lens that focuses equally in both
directions can focus to a point or produce a two-dimensional image. Such a lens is called
stigmatic. The term anastigmatic is also used. Astigmatism in the doublet arises from the
displacement term c11. Although initially parallel orbits emerge from FD and DF doublets with the
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
same angle, the displacement is increased in the DF combination, and decreased in the FD.
The transfer matrix for a three-element optical system consisting of a drift space of length l/2, a
thin lens with focal length f, and another drift space is
1l/2f ll 2/4f
A . (8.35)
1/f 1l/2f
Comparison of Eq. (8.35) with Eqs. (8.7) and (8.8) shows a correspondence if we take
f ±1/κl. Thus, to order ( κl)2 , quadrupole elements can be replaced by a drift space of length l
with a thin lens at the center. This construction often helps to visualize the effect of a series of
quadrupole lenses. A similar power series approximation can be found for the total ray transfer
matrix of a doublet. Combining Eqs. (8.7) and (8.8) by matrix multiplication
1κl 2 2l
CDF . (8.36)
2κ2l 3/3 1κl 2
1κl 2 2l
CFD . (8.37)
2κ2l 3/3 1κl 2
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
the triplet are illustrated in Figure 8.8. An exact treatment (using the trigonometric-hyperbolic
forms of the transfer matrices) shows that the exit displacements are identical in both planes for
equal entrance displacements. The power series expansions [Eqs. (8.7) and (8.8)] can be used to
show that the exit angles are approximately equal. When the calculation is carried out, it is found
that all terms of order ( κl)2 mutually cancel from the total matrix. The following result holds for
both the FDF and DFD combinations:
1 2l
Ctriplet . (8.38)
κ2l 3/6 1
As an introduction to periodic focusing, we shall study the thin-lens array illustrated in Figure 8.9.
Orbits in this geometry can be determined easily. The focusing cell boundaries can have any
location as long as they define a periodic collection of identical elements. We will take the
boundary at the exit of a lens. A focusing cell consists of a drift space followed by a lens, as
shown in Figure 8.9.
The goal is to determine the positions and angles of particle orbits at cell boundaries. The
following equations describe the evolution of the orbit parameters traveling through the focusing
cell labeled (n+1) in the series [see Eqs. (8.10) and (8.11)]. The subscript n denotes the orbit
179
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
xn1 xn xn 1/f.
(8.39)
xn
(xn 1x n)/d.
(8.41)
Finally, an equation similar to Eq. (8.41) can be written for the transition through focusing cell
(n+2)
xn1 (xn 2xn 1)/d.
(8.43)
Setting Eqs. (8.42) and (8.43) equal gives the difference equation
180
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
xn2 2 (1d/2f) xn 1 xn 0.
(8.44)
This is the finite difference equivalent of a second-order differential equation. We found in Section
4.2 that the finite difference approximation to the second derivative of a function involves the
values of the function at three adjacent mesh points.
We seek a mathematical solution of Eq. (8.44) in the form
xn xo exp(jnµ). (8.45)
The solution of Eq. (8.47) is harmonic when |b| 1 . The particle displacement at the cell
boundaries is given by the real part of Equation 8.45,
xn x0 cos(nµ φ). (8.50)
Equation (8.50) gives the displacement measured at a cell boundary. It does not imply that
particle orbits between boundaries are harmonic. In the thin-lens array, it is easy to see that orbits
are straight lines that connect the points of Eq. (8.45). The quantity µ is called the phase advance
in a focusing cell. The meaning of the phase advance is illustrated in Figure 8.10. The case shown
has µ 2π/7 51.4-. Particle orbits between cell boundaries in other focusing systems are
generally not straight lines. Orbits in quadrupole lens arrays are more complex, as we will see in
Section 8.7.
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
The orbit angle at cell boundaries can be determined by substituting Eq. (8.45)in Eq. (8.41).
The result is
xn (xo/d) exp[j(n1)µ] exp(jnµ) (x o/d) exp(jnµ) [exp(jµ)1]. (8.51)
Note that when µ ; 0, particle orbits approach the continuous envelope function
x(z) x0 cos(µz/dφ). In this limit, the last factor in Eq. (8.51) is approximately jµ so that the
orbit angle becomes
xn
Re([jx0µ/d] [exp(jnµ)]) ` (x0µ/d) sin(nµz/d). (8.52)
An important result of the thin-lens array derivation is that there are parameters for which all
particle orbits are unstable. Orbits are no longer harmonic but have an exponentially growing
displacment when
|b| |1d/2f| 1. (8.53)
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
Setting 1 - d/2f equal to -1 gives the following stability condition for transport in a thin-lens array,
f d/4 (stability). (8.54)
There is a maximum usable lens strength for a given cell length. The physical interpretation of this
instability can be visualized by reference to Figure 8.11. The lens system has f = d/4 so that the
particle orbit is marginally stable. In this case, b = -1 and µ = 180-. The orbit crosses the
boundary with a displacement of equal magnitude but opposite sign. If the focusing strength of
the lens is increased slightly (f < d/4), then the particle has an increased magnitude of
displacement at each cell boundary as shown by the dotted line. The amplitude of displacement
increases without limit.
We want to generalize the treatment of the previous section to investigate orbits and stability
properties for any linear focusing system. Focusing cells may be complex in high-energy
accelerators. They may include quadrupole lenses, bending magnets, gradient fields, and edge
focusing. Nonetheless, the net effect of a focusing cell can be represented by a single 4 × 4
transfer matrix no matter how many sequential elements it contains. When transverse motions
along Cartesian coordinates are decoupled, each direction is separately characterized by a 2 × 2
matrix.
A periodic focusing system consists of a series of identical cells. We shall restrict consideration
to transport in the absence of acceleration. This applies directly to storage rings, beamlines, and
electron confinement in a microwave tube. It is also a good approximation for accelerators if the
betatron wavelength is short compared to the distance over which a particle's energy is doubled.
If a particle enters a periodic channel with an orbit vector u0, then the vector at the boundary
between the first and second focusing cells is u1 = Cu0. The quantity C is the transfer matrix for a
cell. After traversing n cells, the orbit vector is
183
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
un C n u0 . (8.55)
The quantity Cn denotes the matrix multiplication of C by itself n times. The behavior of particle
orbits in periodic focusing systems is determined by the matrix power operation. In particular, if
all components of Cn are bounded as n , then particle orbits are stable.
Analytic expressions for even small powers of a matrix can rapidly become unwieldy. The
involved terms encountered in matrix multiplication are evident in Eqs. (8.33) and (8.34). We
must use new methods of analysis to investigate the matrix power operation. We will concentrate
on 2 × 2 matrices; the extension to higher-order matrices involves more algebra but is
conceptually straightforward. We have already encountered the determinant of a matrix in Section
8.2. The determinant of a transfer matrix is always equal to unity when there is no acceleration.
Another useful quantity is the trace of a matrix, defined as the sum of diagonal elements. To
summarize, if
c11 c12
C ,
c21 c22
then
detC c11c22 c12c21 (8.56)
and
Tr C c11 c22. (8.57)
Transfer matrices have eigenvalues and eigenvectors. These quantities are defined in the
following way. For most square matrices, there are orbit vectors and numerical constants that
satisfy the equation
C νi λi νi. (8.58)
The vectors for which Eq. (8.58) is true are called eigenvectors (characteristic vectors) of the
matrix. The numerical constants (which may be complex numbers) associated with the vectors are
called eigenvalues.
The following results are quoted without proof from the theory of linear algebra. The order of a
square matrix is the number of rows (or columns). A square matrix of order m with nonzero
determinant has m eigenvectors and m different eigenvalues. The eigenvectors have the property
of orthogonality. Any m-dimensional orbit vector can be represented as a linear combination of
eigenvectors. In the case of a 2 × 2 transfer matrix, there are two eigenvectors. Any orbit vector
184
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
If the orbit given by the input vector of Eq. (8.59) passes through n focusing cells of a periodic
system, it is transformed to
u0 C n u0 a1 λn1 ν1 a2 λn2 ν2. (8.60)
Equation (8.60) demonstrates the significance of the eigenvector expansion for determining the
power of a matrix. The problem of determining the orbit after a large number of focusing cells is
reduced to finding the power of two numbers rather than the power of a matrix. If λ1n and λ2n are
bounded quantities for n » 1, then orbits are stable in the focusing system characterized by the
transfer matrix C.
The eigenvalues for a 2 x 2 matrix can be calculated directly. Writing Eq. (8.58) in component
form for a general eigenvector (ν,ν’),
(c11λ) ν c12 ν 0,
(8.61)
Multiplying Eq. (8.62) by c12/(c22-λ) and subtracting from Eq. (8.61), we find that
(c11λ) (c22λ) c12c21
ν 0. (8.63)
(c22λ)
This is a quadratic equation that yields two values of λ. The values can be substituted into Eq.
(8.61) or (8.62) to give ν1' in terms of ν1 and ν2' in terms of ν2. Equation (8.64) can be rewritten
λ2 λ TrC detC 0. (8.65)
The solution to Eq. (8.65) can be found from the quadratic formula using the fact that detC = 1.
185
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
The fact that the product of the eigenvalues of a transfer matrix is identically equal to unity leads
to a general condition for orbital stability. We know that the eigenvalues are different if detC and
TrC are nonzero. If both eigenvalues are real numbers, then one of the eigenvalues must have a
magnitude greater than unity if the product of eigenvalues equals 1. Assume, for instance, that
λ1 > 1. The term λ1 will dominate in Eq. (8.60). The magnitude of the orbit displacement will
diverge for a large number of cells so that orbits are unstable. Inspecting Eq. (8.65), the condition
for real eigenvalues and instability is |TrC/2| > 1 .
When |TrC/2| 1 , the square root quantity is negative in Eq. (8.65) so that the eigenvalues are
complex. In this case, Eq. 8.66 can be rewritten
Euler's formula was applied to derive the final form. The eigenvalues to the nth power are
exp(±njµ). This is a periodic trigonometric function. The magnitude of both eigenvalues is
bounded for all powers of n. Thus, the orbit displacement remains finite for n and the orbits
are stable. To reiterate, if the action of a cell of a periodic focusing system is represented by a
transfer matrix C, then orbits are stable if
|TrC/2| 1 (stability). (8.71)
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
The determinant is equal to unity. The trace of the matrix is TrC 2d/f. Applying Eq. (8.71),
the condition for stable orbits is
|1d/2f| 1, (8.73)
as we found before. Similarly, cosµ 1d/2f . Thus, the parameter µ has the same value as Eq.
(8.49) and is associated with the phase advance per cell. This holds in general for linear systems.
When the orbits are stable and the eigenvalues are given by Eq. (8.70), the orbit vector at the cell
boundaries of any linear focusing cell is
un a1ν1 exp(jnµ) a2ν2 exp(jnµ). (8.74)
The solution is periodic; orbits repeat after passing through N 2π/µ cells.
The eigenvectors for the transfer matrix [Eq. (8.72)] can be found by substituting the
eigenvalues in Eq. (8.61). The choice of ν is arbitrary. This stands to reason since all orbits in a
linear focusing system are similar, independent of magnitude, and the eigenvectors can be
multiplied by a constant without changing the results. Given a choice of the displacement, the
angle is
ν (λc11) ν / c12. (8.75)
ν2 ( 1,[exp(jµ)1]/d ), (8.77).
Suppose we wanted to treat the same orbit considered in Section 8.5 [Eq. (8.45)]. The particle
enters the first cell parallel to the axis with a displacement equal to x0. The following linear
combination of eigenvectors is used.
uo x0 ν1. (8.78)
as we found from the finite difference solution. The angle after n cells is
xn
x0 exp(jnµ) [exp(jµ)1]/d. (8.80)
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
The expression is identical to Eq. (8.51). Both models lead to the same conclusion. We can now
proceed to consider the more complex but practical case of FD quadrupole focusing cells.
Consider the focusing channel illustrated in Figure 8.12. It consists of a series of identical,
adjacent quadrupole lenses with an alternating 90' rotation. The cell boundary is chosen so that
the cell consists of a defocusing section followed by focusing section (DF) for motion in the x
direction. The cell is therefore represented as FD in the y direction. Note that individual lenses do
not comprise a focusing cell. The smallest element of periodicity contains both a focusing and a
defocusing lens. The choice of cell boundary is arbitrary. We could have equally well chosen the
boundary at the entrance to an F lens so that the cell was an FD combination in the x direction.
Another valid choice is to locate the boundary in the middle of the F lens so that focusing cells are
quadrupole triplets, FDF. Conclusions related to orbital stability do not depend on the choice of
cell boundary.
The transfer matrix for a cell is the product of matrices C = AFAD. The individual matrices are
given by Eqs. (8.4) and (8.6). Carrying out the multiplication,
cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ (cosΓsinhΓsinΓcoshΓ)/ κ
C . (8.81)
κ(cosΓsinhΓsinΓcoshΓ) cosΓcoshΓsinΓsinhΓ
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
Figure 8.13 shows a plot of f(Γ) cosΓ coshΓ versus Γ. Only positive values of Γ have
physical meaning. Orbits are stable for Γ in the range
0 Γ 1.86. (8.83)
A stable orbit (calculated by direct solution of the equation of motion in the lens fields) is plotted
in Figure 8.14a. The orbit has Γ = 1, so that µ = 0.584 = 33.5. Higher values of Γ correspond to
increased lens strength for the same cell length. Orbits are subject to the same type of overshoot
instability found for the thin-lens array [Eq. (8.53)]. An unstable orbit with Γ = 1.9 is plotted in
Figure 8.14b. At higher values of Γ, there are regions of Γ in which stable propagation can occur.
Figure 8.14c illustrates a stable orbit with Γ = 4.7 (µ = 270). Orbits such as those of Figure
8.14c strike a fragile balance between focusing and defocusing in a narrow range of Γ.
Higher-order stability bands are never used in real transport systems. For practical purposes,
Γ must be in the range indicated by Eq. (8.83). The same result applies to motion in the y
189
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
190
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
direction. The matrix coefficients are different from those of Eq. (8.81), but the quantity TrC/2 is
the same.
Given a range of Γ for stable operation, it remains to determine an optimum value. Small phase
advance (µ « 1) has advantages. The effect of any one lens is small so that orbits approach the
continuous focusing limit (Section 7.1). Beam envelope oscillations in a cell are small, and particle
orbits are less affected by errors and misalignments of the lenses. Small µ is an effective choice for
an array of lenses with positive focal length, such as the thin-lens array discussed in Section 8.5.
The thin-lens array is a good model for a series of solenoidal magnetic lenses or unipotential
electrostatic lenses. In such lens arrays, we can show that to first order the focusing strength is
independent of µ for given applied fields. The focusing strength is proportional to the average
transverse force that the lenses exert on the particles [Eq. (7.6)]. Neglecting edge fields, the focal
length of a solenoidal lens is inversely proportional to the length of the lens, d. Thus, the product
fd in Eq. (7.6) does not depend on the number of individual lenses per unit axial length. In other
words, given a series of solenoids with phase advance µ, focal length f, and lens length d, the
acceptance would be unchanged if the lens length and phase advance were halved and the focal
length were doubled. Thus, it is generally best to use small phase advance and a fine division of
cells in channels with only focusing lenses. The minimum practical cell length is determined by
ease of mechanical construction and the onset of nonlinearities associated with the edge fields
between lenses.
This conclusion does not apply to FD-type focusing channels. In order to investigate scaling in
this case, consider the quadrupole doublet treated using the expansions for small κl [Eqs. (8.7),
(8.8), and (8.35)]. In this approximation, the doublet consists of two lenses with focal lengths
fF 1/κl, fD 1/κl,
separated by a distance l. As with the solenoidal lens, the focal lengths of the individual lenses are
inversely proportional to the lengths of the lens. The net positive focal length of the combination
from Eqs. (8.36) and (8.37) is
fFD 3/2κ2l 3 3| f F f D |/2l 1/d 3. (8.84)
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Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
used.
In many strong focusing systems, alternate cells may not have the same length or focusing
strength. This is often true in circular accelerators. This case is not difficult to analyze. Defining
Γ1 κ1 l1 and Γ2 κ2 l2 , the transfer matrix for motion in the DF direction is
Performing the matrix multiplication and taking TrC/2 gives the following phase advance:
192
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
Because the two lenses of the cell have unequal effects, there is a different phase advance for the
FD direction, given by
sinhΓ1 sinΓ2 Γ1l2 Γ2l1
cosµ FD coshΓ1 cosΓ2 . (8.87)
2 Γ2l1 Γ1l2
There is little difficulty deriving formulas such as Eqs. (8.86) and (8.87). Most of the problem is
193
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
centered on plotting and interpreting the results. There are conditions in two directions that must
be satisfied simultaneously for stable orbits:
1 cosµ FD 1, (8.88)
The stability results are usually plotted in terms of Γ12 and Γ22 in a diagram such as Figure 8.15.
This region of parameter space with stable orbits is shaded. Figure 8.15 is usually called a
"necktie" diagram because of the resemblance of the stable region to a necktie, circa 1952. The
shape of the region depends on the relative lengths of the focusing and defocusing lenses. The
special case we studied with equal lens properties is a 45 line on the 11 = 12 diagram. The
maximum value of Γ2 is (1.86)2 . An accelerator designer must ensure that orbits remain well
within the stable region for all regimes of operation. This is a particular concern in a synchrotron
194
Transfer Matrices and Periodic Focusing Systems
where the energy of particles and strength of the focusing field varies during the acceleration
cycle.
The betatron wavelength for orbits in a quadrupole channel is
λz (2πd/µ), (8.90)
where d is the cell length and d = 21. When F and D cells have the same parameters, Eq. (8.90)
can be written
2πd
λz . (8.91)
cos (cosΓcoshΓ)
1
The quantity λz/l is plotted in Figure 8.16 as a function of Γ. The betatron wavelength is
Important in circular machines. Particles may suffer resonance instabilities when the circumference
of the accelerator or storage ring is an integral multiple of the betatron wavelength (Section 7.3).
If we include the possibility of different focusing properties in the horizontal and verticle
directions, resonance instabilities can occur when
µ DF 2πn (d/C) (8.92)
or
µ FD 2πn (d/C) (8.93)
with n = 1,2,3,4,... . Equations (8.92) and (8.93) define lines of constant cosµ DF or cosµ FD, some
of which are inside the region of general orbital stability. These lines, are included in the necktie
diagram of Figure 8.17. They have the same general orientation as the lines cosµ DF = -1 or
cosµ FD= +1. The main result is that particle orbits in a circular machine with linear FD forces must
remain within a quadrilateral region of Γ1-Γ2 space. If this is not true over the entire acceleration
cycle, orbital resonance instabilities may occur with large attendant particle losses.
195
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
9
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High
Voltage
In this chapter we begin the study of charged particle acceleration. Subsequent chapters describe
methods for generating high,-energy charged particle beams. The kinetic energy of a charged
particle is increased by electric fields according to ∆T E(x,t) @ dx [Eq. (3.16)], where the
m
integral is taken along the particle orbit. This equation applies to all accelerators. The types of
accelerators discussed in the next six chapters differ by the origin and characteristics of the
electric field. In the most general case, E varies in time and position. In this chapter, we limit
consideration to the special case of static electric fields.
Static electric fields can be derived from a potential function with no contribution from
time-varying magnetic flux. An electrostatic accelerator consists basically of two conducting
surfaces with a large voltage difference Vo. A particle with charge q gains a kinetic energy qVo. In
this chapter, we shall concentrate mainly on methods for generating high voltage. The description
of voltage sources, particularly pulsed voltage generators, relies heavily on passive circuit
analysis. Section 9.1 reviews the properties of resistors, capacitors, and inductors. A discussion of
circuits to generate dc voltage follows in Section 9.2. The equations to describe ideal transformers
are emphasized. A thorough knowledge of the transformer is essential to understand linear
induction accelerators (Chapter 10) and betatrons (Chapter 11).
Section 9.4 introduces the Van de Graaff voltage generator. This device is used extensively in
low-energy nuclear;physics. It also provides preacceleration for beams on many high-energy
accelerators. The principles of dc accelerators are easily understood - the main difficulties
associated with these machines are related to technology, which is largely an empirical field.
Properties of insulators are discussed in Section 9.3 and Paschen’s law for spark breakdown of an
196
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
insulating gas is derived. The important subject of vacuum breakdown is reviewed in Section 9.5.
The remainder of the chapter is devoted to techniques of pulsed voltage generation.
Acceleration by pulsed voltage accelerators is well described by the electrostatic approximation
because the transit time of particles and the propagation time for electromagnetic waves in
acceleration gaps are small compared to typical voltage pulslengths (∆t $ 50 ns). Although the
static approximation describes the acceleration gap, the operation of many pulsed power circuits,
such as the transmission line, involves electromagnetic wave propagation. Pulsed voltage
generators have widespread use in accelerators characterized by cyclic operation. In some
instances they provide the primary power, such as in high-current relativistic electron beam
generators and in the linear induction accelerator. In other cases, they are used for power
conditioning, such as klystron drivers in high-gradient rf electron linear accelerators. Finally,
pulsed voltage modulators are necessary to drive pulsed extraction and injection fields for
synchrotrons and storage rings.
Pulsed voltage circuits must not only produce a high voltage but must also shape the voltage in
time. Sections 9.5-9.14 introduce many of the circuits and techniques used. Material is included
on critically damped circuits (Section 9.6) inpulse generators (Section 9.7), transmission line
modulators (Section 9.9), the Blumlein transmission line (Section 9.10), pulse forming networks
(Section 9.11), power compression systems (Section 9.12), and saturable core magnetic switching
(Section 9.13). The equations for electromagnetic wave propagation in a transmission line are
derived in Section 9.8. This section introduces the principles of interacting electric and magnetic
fields that vary in time. The results will be useful when we study electromagnetic wave
phenomena in rf accelerators. Material is also included on basic methods to measure fast-pulsed
voltage and current (Section 9.14).
High-voltage circuits can usually be analyzed in terms of five elements: resistors, capacitors,
inductors, ideal diodes, and ideal switches. These elements are two-terminal passive components.
Two conductors enter the device, and two quantities characterize it. These are the current
through the device and the voltage between the terminals. The action of the circuit element is
described by the relationship between voltage and current. Standard symbols and polarity
conventions are shown in Figure 9.1.
A. Voltage-Current Relationships
The ideal diode has zero voltage across the terminals when the current is positive and passes
zero current when the voltage is negative. Diodes are used for rectification, the conversion of a
bipolar voltage waveform into a dc voltage. A switch is either an open circuit (zero current at any
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
voltage) or a closed circuit (zero voltage at any current). In pulsed voltage circuits, a closing
switch is an open circuit for times t < 0 and a short circuit for t > 0. An opening switch has the
inverse properties. The spontaneous breakdown gap used on some pulse power generators and
pulse sharpening circuits is an example of a two-terminal closing switch. Triggered switches such
as the thyratron and silicon-controlled rectifier are more common; they are three terminal,
two-state devices.
In this section, we consider the properties of resistors, capacitors, and inductors in the
time-domain. This means that time variations of the total voltage are related to time variations of
the total current. Relationships are expressed as differential equations. It is also possible to treat
circuits in the frequency-domain. This approach is useful for oscillating harmonic circuits, and
will be applied to rf cavities in Chapter 12. In the frequency-domain analysis, time variations are
Fourier analyzed in terms of the angular frequency ω. Each harmonic component is treated
separately. In the frequency-domain analysis, voltage and current in individual elements and
multielement circuits are related simply by V = a(ω)I, where a(ω) may be a complex number.
A resistor contains material that impedes the flow of electrons via collisions. The flow of
current is proportional to the driving voltage
I V/R, (9.1)
where I is in amperes, V in volts, and R is the resistance in ohms (Ω). Energy is transferred from
flowing electrons to the resistive material. With the polarity shown in Figure 9.1, electrons flow
into the bottom of the resistor. Each electron absorbs an energy eVo from the driving circuit
during its transit through the resistor. This energy acts to accelerate the electrons between
collisions. They emerge from the top of the resistor with low velocity because most of the energy
gained was transferred to the material as heat. The number of electrons passing through the
resistor per second is I/e. The power deposited is
P (watts) VI V 2/R I 2R. (9.2)
As we saw in Section 5.2, the basic capacitor geometry has two conducting plates separated by a
dielectric (Figure 5.6c). The voltage between the plates is proportional to the stored charge on the
plates and the geometry of the capacitor:
198
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
V Q/C. (9.3)
The quantity V is in volts, Q is in coulombs, and C is in farads (F). Neglecting fringing fields, the
capacitance of the parallel plate geometry can be determined from Eq. (3.9):
ε0 (ε/ε0) A
C (F), (9.4)
δ
where εo = 8.85 x 10-12 and ε/εo is the relative dielectric constant of the material between the
plates, A is the plate area in square meters, and δ is the plate spacing in meters. Small capacitors in
the pF range (10-12 F) look much like Figure 5.6c with a dielectric such as Mylar (ε/εo - 2-3).
High values of capacitance are achieved by combining convoluted reentrant geometries (for large
A) with high dielectric constant materials. The current through a capacitor is the time rate of
change of the stored charge. The derivative of Eq. (9.3) gives
I C (dV/dt). (9.5)
The capacitor contains a region of electric field. The inductor is configured to produce magnetic
field. The most common geometry is the solenoidal winding (Fig. 4.18). The magnetic flux linking
the windings is proportional to the current in the winding. The voltage across the terminals is
proportional to the time-rate of change of magnetic flux. Therefore,
V L (di/dt), (9.6)
A resistor converts electrical to thermal energy. There is no stored electrical energy that remains
in a resistor when the voltage supply is turned off. Capacitors and inductors, on the other hand,
store electrical energy in the form of electric and magnetic fields. Electrical energy can be
extracted at a latter time to perform work. Capacitors and inductors are called reactive elements
(i.e., the energy can act again).
We can prove that there is no average energy lost to a reactive element from any periodic
voltage waveform input. Voltage and current through the element can be resolved into Fourier
components. Equations (9.5) and (9.6) imply that the voltage and current of any harmonic
component are 90E out of phase. In other words, if the voltage varies as Vocos(ωt), the current
varies as ±Iosin(ωt). Extending the arguments leading to Eq. (9.2) to reactive elements, the total
energy change in an element is
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Although the energy content of a reactive element may change over an oscillation period, the
average over many periods is zero.
Energy is stored in a capacitor in the form of electric fields. Multiplying Eq. (5.19) by the
volume of a parallel-plate capacitor, the stored energy is
Uc ½ [ε0 (ε/ε0) (V/δ)2] Aδ. (9.7)
The coaxial capacitor (Fig. 9.2a) is often used as an energy storage device for high-voltage pulsed
power generators. The electrodes are cylinders of length d with radii Ro and Ri . The cylinders
have. a voltage difference Vo, and there is a medium with relative dielectric constant (ε/εo)
between them. Neglecting fringing fields at the ends, the electric field in the dielectric region is
Er Q/2πεrd. (9.10)
All current-carrying elements produce magnetic fields and thus have an inductance. There is a
magnetic field between the cylinders of Figure 9.2b if current flows along the center conductor.
200
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
An equal and opposite current must return along the outer conductor to complete the circuit;
therefore, there is no magnetic field for r > Ro. Equation (4.40) specifies that the field between the
cylinders is
Bθ(r) µ 0I/2πr (9.13)
if there is no ferromagnetic material in the intercylinder volume. The total magnetic field energy is
d dr (2πr) (Bθ /2µ 0) (µ 0/2π) (I 2/2) (d ln(Ro/Ri)).
2
Um (9.14)
m
Equation (9.15) should be multiplied by µ/µ o if the coaxial region contains a ferromagnetic
material with an approximately linear response.
Coaxial inductors generally have between 0.1 and 1 µH per meter. Higher inductances are
produced with the solenoidal geometry discussed in Section 4.6.We shall make the following
assumptions to calculate the inductance of a solenoid: edge fields and curvature effects are
neglected, the winding is completely filled with a linear ferromagnetic material, and N series
windings of cross-sectional area A are uniformly spaced along a distance d. The magnetic
201
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
according to Eq. (4.42). Faraday's law implies that a time variation of magnetic field linking the
windings produces a voltage
V NA (dBz/dt). (9.17)
Compact solenoids can assume a wide range of inductance values because of the strong scaling
with N.
D. Introductory Circuits
Figure 9.3 shows a familiar circuit combining resistance, capacitance, and a switch. This is the
simplest model for a pulsed voltage circuit; electrical energy is stored in a capacitor and then
dumped into a load resistor via a switch. Continuity of current around the circuit combined with
Eqs. (9.1) and (9.5) implies the following differential equation for the load voltage after
switching:
C (dV/dt) V/R 0. (9.19)
The solution (plotted in Fig. 9.3) for switching at t = 0 is V(t) = Voexp( -t/RC) with Vo the initial
202
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
charge voltage. The RC time (∆t = RC) is the characteristic time for the transfer of energy from a
capacitor to a resistor in the absence of inductance.
The passive integrator (Fig. 9.4) is a useful variant of the RC circuit. The circuit can integrate
fast signals in the nanosecond range. It is often used with the fast diagnostics described in Section
9.14. Assume that voltage from a diagnostic, V(t) is incident from a terminated transmission line
(Section 9.10). The signal has duration ∆t. When ∆T « RC , the voltage across the capacitor is
small compared to the voltage across the resistor. Thus, current flowing into the circuit is limited
mainly by the resistor and is given by I Vs(t)/R. Applying Eq. (9.5), the output voltage is
Vout Vs(t) dt / RC. (9.20)
m
The passive integrator is fast, resistant to noise, and simple to build compared to a corresponding
circuit with an operational amplifier. The main disadvantage is that there is a droop of the signal.
For instance, if Vs is a square pulse, the signal at the end of the pulse is low by a factor
1 ∆t/RC. An accurate signal integration requires that RC » ∆t. This condition means that
the output signal is reduced greatly, but this is usually not a concern for the large signals available
from fast diagnostics.
A circuit with an inductor, resistor, voltage source, and switch is shown in Figure 9.5. This
circuit models the output region of a pulsed voltage generator when the inductance of the leads
and the load is significant. Usually, we want a rapid risetime for power into the load. The time for
initiation of current flow to the load is limited by the undesirable (or parasitic) inductance.
Continuity of current and the V-I relations of the components [Eqs. (9.1) and (9.6)] give the
following differential equation for the load voltage:
V dt / L V/R 0. (9.21)
m
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The L/R time determines how fast current and voltage can be induced in the load. The 10-90%
risetime for the voltage pulse is 2.2(L/R). The load power varies as
P(t) V 2(t)/R (V02/R) [1 exp(t/(L/R)]2. (9.23)
The 10-90 time for the power pulse is 2.6(L/R). As an example, if we had a 50-ns pulse generator
to drive a 25 Ω load, the total inductance of the load circuit must be less than 0.12 µH if the
risetime is to be less than 25% of the pulsewidth.
The transformer is a prime component in all high-voltage supplies. It utilizes magnetic coupling to
convert a low-voltage ac input to a high-voltage ac output at reduced current. The transformer
does not produce energy. The product of voltage times current at the output is equal to or less
than that at the input. T'he output can be rectified for dc voltage.
We will first consider the air core transformer illustrated in Figure 9.6. Insulated wire is wound
uniformly on a toroidal insulating mandrel with µ µ 0. There are two overlapped windings, the
primary and the secondary. Power is introduced in the primary and extracted from the secondary.
There is no direct connection between them; coupling is inductive via the shared magnetic flux in
the torus. Assume that the windings have cross-sectional area At and average radius rt. The
primary winding has N1 turns, and the secondary winding has N2 turns. The symbol for the
transformer with polarity conventions in indicated in Figure 9.6. The windings are oriented so that
204
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
205
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Equation (9.24) holds, if the transformer is perfectly wound so that the primary and secondary
windings enclose the same area. This situation is called ideal coupling. With ideal coupling, the
windings enclose equal magnetic flux so that
N1 (dΦ/dt) V1,
(9.25)
N2 (dΦ/dt) V2.
and hence,
V2 V1 (N2/N1). (9.26)
Equations (9.24)-(9.26) indicate that energy exchange between the windings is through a
changing magnetic flux and that there is a voltage step-up when N2 > N1. In the case of infinite L1
206
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
the combination of Equations 9.24 and 9.26 gives the condition for conservation of energy,
When the secondary is connected to a load resistor R2, the primary voltage is proportional to
current via V1 i1R2 (N1/N2)2 . Thus, when viewed from the primary, the circuit is that
illustrated in Figure 9.7b with a transformed load resistance.
We have found voltage-current relationships for the two energy paths with the alternate path
assumed to be an open circuit. The total circuit (Fig. 9.7c) is the parallel combination of the two.
The model shown determines the primary current in terms of the input voltage when the
secondary is connected to a resistive load. The input current is expended partly to produce
magnetic field in the transformer (ileak) with the remainder coupled to the secondary (iload). The
secondary voltage is given by Eq. (9.26). The secondary current is given by Eq. (9.27) with iload
substituted for i1. The conclusion is that if the primary inductance is low, a significant fraction of
the primary current flows in the reactance; therefore i1 > (N2/N1) i1 .
The reactive current component is generally undesirable in a power circuit. The extra current
increases resistive losses in the transformer windings and the ac voltage source. If the transformer
is used to amplify the voltage of a square pulse from a pulsed voltage generator (a common
accelerator application), then leakage currents contribute to droop of the output voltage
waveform. Consider applying a square voltage pulse of duration ∆t from a voltage generator with
an output impedance R1 R2 (N1/N2)2 . The equivalent circuit has resistance R1 in series with
the primary (Fig. 9.7d). We will see in Section 9.10 that this is a good model for the output of a
charged transmission line. The output pulse shape is plotted in Figure 9.8 as a function of the ratio
of the circuit time L/[R2(N1/N2)2] to the pulselength ∆t . The output pulse is a square pulse
when L/R1 » ∆t. If this condition is not met, the pulse droops. Energy remains in transformer
magnetic fields at the end of the main pulse; this energy appears as a negative post-pulse.
Although no energy is lost in the ideal transformer, the negative post-pulse is generally useless.
Therefore, pulse transformers with low primary inductance have poor energy transfer efficiency
and a variable voltage output waveform. Drooping waveforms are often unacceptable for
accelerator applications.
Leakage current is reduced by increasing the primary inductance. This is accomplished by
constructing the toroidal mandrel from ferromagnetic material. The primary inductance is
increased by a factor of µ/µ 0. Depending on the operating regime of the transformer, this factor
may be as high as 10,000. Another way to understand the role of iron in a transformer is to note
that a certain flux change is necessary to couple the primary voltage to the secondary. In an air
core transformer, the flux change arises from the difference in the ampere turns between the
primary and secondary; the flux change is generated by the leakage current. When a ferromagnetic
material is added, atomic currents contribute to the flux change so that the leakage current can be
much smaller.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The energy transfer efficiency of real transformers falls short of that for the ideal transformer of
Figure 9.7c. One reason for power loss is that ferromagnetic materials are not ideal inductors.
Eddy current losses and hysteresis losses in iron transformer cores for fast pulses are discussed in
Section 10.2. Another problem is that ideal coupling between the primary and secondary cannot
be achieved. There is a region between the windings in which there is magnetic field that is not
canceled when both windings have the same ampere turns; the effect of this region is represented
as a series inductance in the primary or secondary. Minimizing the effects of nonideal coupling is
one of the motivations for using an iron core to increase the primary inductance of the transformer
rather than simply increasing the number of turns in the pnmary and secondary windings of an air
core transformer.
There are limitations on the primary voltage waveforms that can be handled by pulse
transformers with ferromagnetic cores. The rate of change of flux enclosed by the primary is given
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
by Eq. (9.25a). The flux enclosed in a transformer with a toroidal core area A1 is A1B(t). Inserting
this into Eq. (9.25a) and integrating, we find that
[B(t) B(0)] N1A1 V(t)dt. (9.28)
m
Equation (9.28) constrains the input voltage in terms of the core geometry and magnetic
properties of the core material. An input signal at high voltage or low frequency may drive the
core to saturation. If saturation occurs, the primary inductance drops to the air core value. In this
case, the primary impedance drops, terminating energy transfer to the load. Referring to the
hysteresis curve of Figure 5.12, the maximum change in magnetic field is 2Bs. If the primary
input is an ac signal, V1(t) V0 sin(2πft) , then Eq. (9.28) implies that
V0/f (volts) # 2πN1A1Bs. (9.29)
Transformers are usually run well below the limit of Eq. (9.29) to minimize hysteresis losses.
The basic circuit for a high-voltage dc supply is shown in Figure 9.9. The configuration is a
half-wave rectifier; the diode is oriented to pass current only on the positive cycle of the
transformer output. A capacitor is included to reduce ripple in the voltage. The fractional drop in
voltage during the negative half-cycle is on, the order (1/2f)/RC, where R is the load resistance.
Output voltage is controlled by a variable autotransformer in the primary.
Because of the core volume and insulation required, transformers are inconvenient to use at
voltages above 100 kV. The ladder network illustrated in Figure 9.10a can supply voltages in the
1-MV range. It is the basis of the Cockcroft-Walton accelerator [J. D. Cockcroft and E. T. S.
Walton, Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) A136, 619 (1932)] which is utilized as a preinjector for many
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
high-energy accelerators. We can understand operation of the circuit by considering the voltage
waveforms at the input (0) and, at the three points indicated in Figure 9.10b (1, 2, 3). The input
voltage is a bipolar ac signal. In order to simplify the discussion, we assume an ideal ac voltage
source that turns on instantaneously and can supply infinite current; in reality, a series resistor
extends charging over many cycles to prevent damage to the transformer. On the first positive
half-cycle, current flows through the diodes to charge all the points to +Vo. On the negative
half-cycle, the voltage at point 1 is maintained positive because current cannot flow backward in
diode D1. The voltage at point 2 is maintained positive by conductance from C1 to C2 through
diode D2. At the time of maximum negative voltage at the input, there is a voltage difference
greater than Vo across capacitor C2. In the steady state, the voltage difference approaches 2Vo. On
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
the second positive cycle, the voltage at point 2 is boosted to 3Vo. The voltage at point 3 also
approaches 3Vo because of charging through D3. The reasoning can be extended to higher
points on the ladder, leading to the unloaded steady-state voltages indicated in Figure 9.10.
At the same voltage, a ladder network requires about the same number of diodes and capacitors
as a power supply based on a transformer and rectifier stack. The main advantages of a ladder
network is that it utilizes a smaller transformer core and it is easier to insulate. Insulation of the
secondary of a transformer is difficult at high voltage because the secondary winding must
encircle the transformer core. A large core must be used with oil-impregnated insulation. In
contrast, the ladder network is extended in space with natural voltage grading along the column.
It is possible to operate Cockcroft-Walton-type accelerators at megavolt levels with air insulation
at atmospheric pressure by locating the capacitor-diode stack in a large shielded room.
9.3 INSULATION
Insulation is the prevention of current flow. It is the major technological problem of high-voltage
electrostatic acceleration. At low values of electric field stress, current flow through materials
such as glass, polyethylene, transformer oil, or dry air is negligible. Problems arise at high voltage
because there is sufficient energy to induce ionization in materials. Portions of the material can be
converted from a good insulator to a conducting ionized gas (plasma). When this happens, the
high-voltage supply is shorted. Plasma breakdowns can occur in the solid, liquid, or gaseous
insulation of high-voltage supplies and cables. Breakdown may also occur in vacuum along the
surface of solid insulators. Vacuum breakdown is discussed in the Section 9.5.
There is no simple theory of breakdown in solids and liquids. Knowledge of insulating
properties is mainly empirical. These properties vary considerably with the chemical purity and
geometry of the insulating material. The dielectric strength and relative dielectric constant of
insulators commonly used in high-voltage circuits are given in Table 9.1. The dielectric strength is
the maximum electric field stress before breakdown. The actual breakdown level can differ
considerably from those given; therefore, it is best to leave a wide safety factor in designing
high-voltage components. The dielectric strength values of Table 9.1 hold for voltage pulses of
submicrosecond duration. Steady-state values are tabulated in most physical handbooks.
Measurements show that for voltage pulses in the submicrosecond range the dielectric strength
of liquids can be considerably higher than the dc value. The following empirical formulas describe
breakdown levels in transformer oil and purified water [see R. B. Miller, Intense Charged
Particle Beams, (Plenum, New York, 1982), 16] two media used extensively in high-power pulse
modulators. The pulsed voltage dielectric strength of transformer oil is approximately
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
0.33
Emax 0.5/tp A 0.1. (9.30)
The quantity Emax (in megavolts per centimeter) is the highest value of electric field in the insulator
at the peak of the voltage pulse. The quantity tp is the time during which the voltage is above 63%
of the maximum value (in microseconds), and A is the surface area of the high voltage electrode in
centimeters squared. The breakdown level of water has the same scaling as Eq. (9.30) but is
polarity dependent. The dielectric strength of water for a negative high-voltage electrode is given
by
0.33
Emax 0.6/tp A 0.1 (negative) (9.31)
in the same units as Eq. (9.30). With a positive polarity, the breakdown level is
approximately
0.33
Emax 0.3/tp A 0.1 (positive). (9.32)
The polarity dependence of Eqs. (9.31) and (9.32) is important for designing optimum pulsed
power systems. For example, a charged coaxial transmission line filled with water can store four
times the electrostatic energy density if the center conductor is negative with respect to the outer
conductor rather than positive.
The enhanced dielectric strength of liquids for fast pulsed voltages can be attributed to the finite
time for a breakdown streamer to propagate through the medium to short the electrodes. Section
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
9.12 will show how pulse-charge overvolting is used to increase the electrostatic energy density
of a pulse modulator for high output power. This process can be applied in liquid insulators
because they are self-healing. On the other hand, the damage caused by streamers is cumulative in
solids. Solid insulators cannot be used above the steadv-state levels.
Gas insulation is used in most steady-state high-voltage electrostatic accelerators. Gases have
ε/ε0 - 1 ; therefore, gas insulators do not store a high density of electrostatic energy. Gases, like
liquids, are self-healing after spark breakdowns. The major advantage of gas insulationb is
cleanliness. A fault, or leak in an accelerator column with oil insulation usually leads to a major
cleanup operation. Although the gas itself is relatively inexpensive, the total gas insulation system
is costly if the gas must be pressurized. Pressurization requires a large sealed vessel.
We shall study the theory of spark breakdown in gas in some detail. The topic is essential for
the description of most types of fast high-voltage switches and it is relevant to insulation in most
high-voltage electrostatic, accelerators. Consider the one-dimensional gas-filled voltage gap of
Figure 9.11. The electrodes have separation d and the applied voltage is Vo. There is negligible
transfer of charge between the electrodes when Vo is small. We will determine how a large
interelectrode current can be initiated at high voltage.
Assume that a few electrons are produced on the negative electrode. They may be generated by
photoemission accompanying cosmic ray or ultraviolet bombardment. The small source current
density leaving the electrode is represented. by jo. The electrons are accelerated by the applied
field and move between the widely spaced gas molecules, as shown in Figure 9.12a. In a collision
with a molecule, an electron is strongly deflected and much of its kinetic energy is absorbed. To
construct a simple model, we assume that electrons are accelerated between molecules and lose all
their directed energy in a collision. The parameter λ is the mean free path, the average distance
between collisions. The mean free path is inversely proportional to the density of gas molecules.
The density is, in turn, proportional to the pressure, p, so that λ - 1/p .
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
An election may ionize a molecule in a collision if ∆T is high enough (∆T > 30 eV). In the
ionization process, the excess kinetic energy of the electron drives an electron out of the
molecule, leaving a positive ion. The two electrons move forward under the influence of the field,
producing further electrons. The current density increases geometrically along the electron drift
direction. The ions drift in the opposite direction and do not contribute to ionization in the gas.
The motion of drifting ions is dominated by collisions; generally, they cannot reach high enough
velocity to eject electrons in a collision with a molecule.
Electron multiplication in a gas with an applied electric field is characterized by α, the first
Townsend coefficient [J. S. Townsend, Electricity in Gases, Phil. Trans. A193, 129 (1900)]. This
parameter is defined by
number of ionizations induced by an electron
α . (9.34)
cm of pathlength
Consider an element of length ∆x at the position x. The quantity n(x) is the density of electrons at
x. According to the definition of α, the total number of additional electrons produced in a volume
with cross-sectional area dA and length ∆x is
dN α n(x) dA ∆x.
Dividing both sides of the equation by dA∆x, and taking the limit of small ∆x, we find that
dn(x)/dx α n(x). (9.35)
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The solution of Eq. (9.35) implies an exponential electron density variation. Expressed in terms of
the current density of electrons (assuming that the average electron drift velocity is independent of
x), Eq. (9.35) implies that
j(x) j0 exp(αx). (9.36)
if the negative electrode is located at x = 0. The current density arriving at the positive electrode
is
ja j0 exp(αd). (9.37)
Although the amplification factor may be high, Eq. (9.37) does not imply that there is an
insulation breakdown. The current terminates if the source term is removed. A breakdown occurs
when current flow is self-sustaining, or independent of the assumed properties of the source. In
the breakdown mode, the current density rapidly multiplies until the voltage supply is shorted
(discharged). Ion interactions at the negative electrode introduce a mechanism by which a
self-sustained discharge can be maintained. Although the positive ions do not gain enough energy
to ionize gas molecules during their transit, they may generate electrons at the negative electrode
through secondary emission (Fig. 9.12b). This process is parametrized by the secondary emission
coeficient γ. The coefficient is high at hiph ion energy (> 100 keV). The large value of reflects the
fact that ions have a short stoppmg range in solid matter and deposit their energy near the surface.
Ions in a gas-filled gap have low average energy. The secondary-emission coefficient has a
nonzero value for slow ions because there is available energy from recombination of the ion with
an electron at the surface. The secondary emission coefficient for a zero-velocity ion is in the
range γ . 0.02.
With ion interactions, the total electron current density leaving the negative electrode consists
of the source term plus a contribution from secondary emission. We define the following current
densities: jo is the source, jc is the net current density leaving the negative electrode, ji is the ion
current density arriving at the negative electrode, and ja is the total electron flux arriving at
the positive electrode. Each ionizing collision creates one electron and one ion. By conservation
of charge, the ion current is given by
ji j a j c, (9.38)
Equation (9.38) states that ions and electrons leave, the gap at the same rate in the steady state.
The portion of the electron current density from the negative electrode associated with secondary
emission is thus,
jc j o γ (jajc). (9.39)
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
By the definition of α
ja jc exp(αd). (9.41)
Comparing Eq. (9.42) with (9.37), the effects of ion feedback appear in the denominator. The
current density amplification becomes infinite when the denominator equals zero. When the
conditions are such that the denominator of Eq. (9.42) is zero, a small charge at the negative
electrode can initiate a self-sustained discharge. The discharge current grows rapidly over a time
scale on the order of the ion drift time, heating and ionizing the gas. The end result is a spark. A
spark is a high-current-density plasma channel. The condition for spark formation is
exp(αd) # (1/γ) 1 1/γ. (9.43)
where λ is the mean free path. The energy of a colliding electron is, by definition, T = xeVo/d. The
fraction of collisions in which an electron has T > I is given by the integral of Eq. (9.44) from x =
Id/eVo to 4.
The result of these considerations is that α is well described by the scaling law
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The quantities A and B are determined from experiments or detailed collision theory The gap
voltage for sparking is found by substituting Eq. (9.45) into (9.43):
ln(1/γ) (Apd) exp(Bpd/Vs).
Equation. (9.46) is Paschen's law [F.Paschen, Wied. Ann. 37, 69 (1889)] for gas breakdown. The
sparking voltage is a function of the product pd and constants that depend on the gas properties.
The values of A and B are relatively constant over a wide voltage range when the average electron
energy is less than I. Furthermore, Vs is insensitive to γ; therefore, the results are almost
independent of the electrode material.
Figure 9.13 is a normalized lot of Vs versus pd. The sparking voltage reaches a minimum value
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Vs,min at a value (pd)min. Voltage hold-off increases at both low and high values of pd. Voltage
hold-off is high at low pd because there is a small probability that an electron will strike a
molecule while traveling between electrodes. Paschen's law does not hold at very low vacuum
because the assumption of a Poisson distribution of mean free paths is invalid.
At high values of pd, Vs (pd) . In this regime, electrons undergo many collisions, but the mean
free path is short. Few electrons gain enough energy to produce an ionization.
Equation (9.46) can be rewritten,
Vs,min [pd/(pd)min]
Vs . (9.47)
ln[2.72 pd/(pd)min]
Table 9.2 gives a table of spark parameters for some common gases. Note that the minimum
sparking voltage is high for electronegative gases like oxygen and low for gases with little
probability of electron capture like helium and argon. In electronegative gases, there is a high
probability that electrons are captured to form negative ions. The heavy negative ions cannot
produce further ionization, so that the electron is removed from the current multiplication
process. The result is that gaps with electronegative-gases can sustain high voltage without
breakdown. Sulfur hexafluoride an extremely electronegative gas, is often mixed with air or used
alone to provide strong gas insulation at high pressure. The expense of the gas is offset by cost
savings in the pressure vessel surrounding the high-voltage system. The addition of 8% (by
volume) SF6 to air increases Vs by a factor of 1.7. Pure SF6 has Vs 2.2 times that of air for the
same pd. Vacuum insulation is seldom used in power supplies and high-voltage generators
because of technological difficulties in maintaining high vacuum and the possibility of long
breakdown paths. Vacuum insulation in accelerator columns is discussed in Section 9.5.
Our discussion of gas breakdown has been limited to a one-dimensional geometry.
Two-dimensional geometries are difficult to treat analytically because a variety of electron
trajectories are possible and the electric field varies along the electron paths. Breakdown voltages,
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
are tabulated for special electrode geometries such as two spheres. In some circumstances (such as
gas lasers), a stable, uniform discharge must be sustained over a large area, as shown in Figure
9.14. The interelectrode voltage must be less than Vs to prevent a localized spark; therefore, a
source current is required to sustain the discharge. The source is often provided by injections of a
high-energy electron beam through a foil on the negative electrode. Demands on the source are
minimized if there is a large multiplication factor, exp(αd); therefore, the main gap is operated as
close to Vs as possible. In this case, care must be taken with shaping of the electrodes. If the
electrode has a simple radius (Fig. 9.15a), then the field stress is higher at the edges than in the
body of the discharge, leading to sparks. The problem is solved by special shaping of the edges.
Qne possibility is the Rogowski profile [W. Rogowski and H. Rengier, Arch. Elekt. 16, 73 (1926)]
illustrated in Figure 9.15b. This shape, derived by conformal mapping, has the property that the
field stress on the electrodes decreases monotonically moving away from the axis of symmetry.
The shape for two symmetric profiled electrodes is described by the parametric equations
219
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
x dφ/π,
(9.48)
y (d/π) [π/2 exp(φ)].
where d is the minimum separation between electrodes. As indicated in Figure 9.15b, x is the
transverse distance from the center of the electrodes, and ±y is the distance from the midplane
(between electrodes) to the electrode surfaces.
Corona discharges appear in gases when electrodes have strong two-dimensional variations
(Figure 9.16). Corona (crown in Latin) is a pattern of bright sparks near a pointed electrode. In
such a region, the electric field is enhanced above the breakdown limit so that spark discharges
occur. Taking the dimension of the corona region as d, the approximate condition for breakdown
is
Edc Vs,min (pdc/(pd)min) / ln[2.72(pdc/(pd)min)] (9.49)
where E is the average electric field in the corona region. A self-sustained breakdown cannot be
maintained by the low electric field in the bulk of the gap. Current in the low-field region is
conducted by a Townsend (or dark) discharge, with the corona providing the source current jo.
The system is stabilized by the high resistivity of the dark discharge. A relatively constant
current flows, even though the sparks of the corona fluctuate, extinguish, and reform rapidly.
Inspection of Eq. (9.49) shows that for constant geometry, the size of the corona region grows
with increasing electrode voltage. The voltage drop in the highly ionized corona is low; therefore,
the voltage drop is concentrated in the dark discharge region. At some voltage, bulk breakdown
occurs and the electrodes are shorted.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Two types of voltage generators are used for low current electrostatic accelerators in the megavolt
range, the Cockcroft-Walton and Van de Graaff generators. We have already discussed the
principle of the ladder network voltage used in the Cockcroft-Walton accelerator in Section 9.2.
Cockcroft-Walton accelerators are used mainly for injectors with voltage of approximately 1 MV.
In this section, we shall discuss the Van de Graaff generator, which can sustain steady-stale
voltages up to 15 MV.
A Van de Graaf [R. J. Van de Graaff, Phys. Rev. 38, 1919 (1931)] acelerator for electrons is
illustrated in Figure 9.17. The principle of operation is easily understood. A corona discharge from
an array of needles in gas is used as a convenient source of electrons. The electrons drift toward
the positive electrode and are deposited on a moving belt. The belt composed of an insulating
material with high dielectric strength, is immersed in insulating gas at high pressure. The attached
charge is carried mechanically against the potential gradient into a high-voltage metal terminal. The
terminal acts as a Faraday cage; there is no electric field inside the terminal other than that from the
charge on the belt. The charge flows off the belt when it comes in contact with a metal brush and is
deposited on the terminal.
The energy to charge the high-voltage terminal is supplied by the belt motor. The current
available to drive a load (such as an accelerated beam) is controlled by either the corona discharge
current or the belt speed. Typical currents are in the range of 10 µA. Power for ion sources or
thermonic electron sources at high voltage can be supplied by a generator attached to the belt
pulley inside the high-voltage terminal. The horizontal support of long belts and accelerator
221
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
columns is difficult; therefore, many high-voltage Van de Graaff accelerators are constructed
vertically, as in Figure 9.17.
Van de Graaff accelerators are excellent research tools because they provide a steady-state beam
with good energy regulation. Continuous low-current beams are well suited to standard nuclear
diagnostics that detect individual reaction products. Although the primary use of Van de Graaff
accelerators has been in low-energy nuclear physics, they are finding increased use for high-energy
electron microscopes and ion microprobes. The output beam energy of a Van de Graaff accelerator
can be extended a factor of 2 (up to the 30 MeV range) through the tandem configuration
illustrated in Figure 9.19. Negative ions produced by a source at ground potential are accelerated
to a positive high-voltage terminal and pass through a stripping cell. Collisions in the cell remove
electrons, and some of the initial negative ions are converted to positive ions. They are further
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
223
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
the Laplace equation in spherical coordinates gives the radial variation of potential between the
spheres
V0R0 (R2/r1)
φ(r) . (9.50)
R2 R0
Equation (9.50) satisfies the boundary conditions φ(R0) V0 and φ(R2) 0 . The radial electric
field is
V0R0 (R2/r 2)
Er(r) φ/ r . (9.51)
R2 R0
We assume R2 is a fixed quantity, and determine the value of R0/R2 that will minimize the peak
electric field. Setting Er,max/ (R0/R2) 0 , we find that
R0/R2 ½. (9.53)
A similar calculation can be carried out for concentric cylinders. In this case, the optimum, ratio of
inner to outer cylinder radii is
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A better electric field distribution can be obtained through the use of equipotential shields.
Equipotential shields are biased electrodes located between the high-voltage terminal aid ground,
as in Figure 9.17. Voltage on the shields is maintained at specific intermediate values by a
high-voltage resistive divider circuit. The simplified geometry of three nested spheres (Fig. 9.19b)
will help in understanding the principle of equipotential shields. The quantities R2 and V0 are
constrained by the space available and the desired operating voltage. We are free to choose R0, Rl,
and V1 (the potential of the shield) for optimum voltage hold-off. The electric fields on outer
surfaces of the nested spheres, E1(rR1 ) and E0(rR0 ) are simultaneously minimized.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
(V0V1)/R0
E0 , (9.55)
1 R0/R1
V1/R1
E1 . (9.56)
1 R1/R1
The following equations are satisfied when the surface fields are minimized:
∆E0 ( E0/ V1) ∆V1 ( E0/ R1) ∆R1 ( E0/ R0) ∆R0 0, (9.57)
∆E1 ( E1/ V1) ∆V1 ( E1/ R1) ∆R1 ( E1/ R0) ∆R0 0, (9.58)
The final term in Eq. (9.58) is zero since there is no explicit dependence of E1 on R0. The previous
study of two nested spheres implies that E0 is minimized with the choice R0 = R1/2 given V1 and R1.
In this case, the last term in Eq. (9.57) is independently equal to zero. In order to solve the reduced
Eqs. (9.57) and (9.58), an additional equation is necessary to specify the relationship between ∆R1
and ∆V1. Such a relationship can be determined from Eqs. (9.55) and (9.56) with the choice E0 =
El. After evaluating the derivatives and substituting into Eqs. (9.57) and (9.58), the result is two
simultaneous equations for R1 and V1. After considerable algebra, the optimum parameters are
found to be
R0 R1/2 R1 5R2/8, V1 3V0/5. (9.59)
Addition of a third electrode lowers the maximum electric field stress in the system. To compare,
the optimized two electrode solution (with R0 = R2/2) has
E0 4V0/R2. (9.60)
Larger numbers of nested shells reduce the peak field further. The intent is to counter the
geometric variation of fields in spherical and cylindrical geometries to provide more uniform
voltage grading. For a given terminal and pressure vessel size, multiple shells have approximately
equal voltage increments if they are uniformly spaced.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A column for electron beam acceleration in an electrostatic accelerator is shown in Figure 7.14. It
consists of insulating disks separated by metal grading rings. The disks and rings are sealed to hold
high vacuum, either by low vapor pressure epoxy or by a direct metal to ceramic bond. We have
already discussed the role grading rin s play in focusing particle beams through long columns
(Section 7.7). We shall now consider how rings also improve the voltage hold-off capability of
solid insulators in vacuum. High-vacuum sparking is determined by complex phenomena occurring
on solid surfaces under high-field stress. Effects on both conductors and insulators can contribute
to breakdown.
When a metal is exposed to a strong electric field, electrons may be produced by field emission.
Field emission is a quantum mechanical tunneling process. Strong electric fields lower the energy
barrier at the metal surface, resulting in electron emission. Field emission is described by the
Fowler-Nordheim equation [see J. Thewlis (Ed.), Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Physics, Vol. 3,
(Macmillan, New York, 1962), 120]. which has the scaling
jef E 2 exp(B/E), (9.62)
where E is the electric field. Typical current density predicted by Eq. (9.62) in a gap, with an
electric field of 25 MV is on the order of 10 nA/cm2.
Equation (9.62) implies that a plot of ln(jef/E2) versus 1/E is a straight line. The scaling is
observed in experiments on clean metal surfaces, but the slope of the plot indicates that the field
magnitude on the surface is 10-100 times the macroscopic field (voltage divided by gap spacing).
The discrepancy is explained by the presence of whiskers on the metal surface [see P. A.
Chatterton, Vacuum Breakdown, in Electrical Breakdown in Gases, edited by J. M. Meek and J.
D. Craggs (Wiley, New York, 1978)]. Whiskers are small-scale protrusions found on all ordinary
metal surfaces. The electric field is enhanced near whiskers, as shown in Figure 9.20a. Although
the high-field regions account for a small fraction of the surface area, there is a significant
enhancement of emitted current because of the strong scaling of Eq. (9.62) with E.
The area-averaged whisker-enhanced current density from a metal surface at 10 MV/m is only
1-100 µA/cm2. The leakage current by this process is not a significant concern in high-voltage
systems. The main problem is that whiskers may be vaporized by the high-current density at the
tips, ejecting bursts of material into highly stressed vacuum regions. Vaporization of even a small
amount of solid material (at a density of 1022 cm-3) on the tip of the whisker can eject a significant
gas pulse into the vacuum. A conventional gas spark can then occur. Vaporization occurs at field
stress exceeding 10 MV/m (100 kV/cm). kV/cm) for machined metal surfaces. The level can be
increased by careful chemical preparation of the surface or by conditioning. In conditioning, a
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
228
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
metal surface is slowly raised to the final electric field operating level. Controlled vaporization of
whiskers often smooths the surface, allowing higher operating field.
Whisker vaporization probably accounts for microbursts in steady-state electrostatic
accelerators. Microbursts are random pulses of current observed in highly stressed accelerator
columns. Whisker vaporizaton is used to advantage in pulsed electron accelerators. In this
application, a rapidly pulsed electric field is applied to the cathode surface. Many whiskers
vaporize simultaneously, covering the cathode with a dense, cold plasma. The plasma has zero
work function; electrons can be extracted at current density exceeding 1 kA/cm2. The main
problem with cold cathodes is that the plasma expands into the acceleration gap (plasma closure),
causing deterioration of the beam optics and ultimately shorting the gap. The expansion rate of the
plasma, the closure velocity, is enhanced by electron flow through the plasma. Beam plasma
instabilities rapidly beat the plasma. Closure velocities as high as 10 cm/µs have been observed.
Depending on the acceleration gap width, cold cathodes are useful only for pulses in the 1-µs
range.
Breakdowns occur on insulator surfaces in a vacuum at lower field levels than those that cause
whisker vaporization on metals. Steady-state operating levels for insulators are in the 2 MV/m (20
kV/cm) range. Therefore, vacuum insulators are the weak point in any high-voltage electrostatic
accelerator. The mechanisms of breakdown are not well understood. The following qualitative
observations lead to useful procedures for optimizing insulator hold-off
1. There are two main differences between insulators and metals that affect vacuum
breakdown. First, electric fields parallel to surfaces can exist near insulators. Second,
regions of space charge can build up on insulators. These charges produce local distortions
of electric fields.
3. Discharges on insulators are not initiated by whisker explosion because current cannot
flow through the material. If the electric field is below the bulk dielectric strength of the
insulator, discharge initiation is probably caused by processes on nearby metal surfaces.
4. When voltage pulses are short (< 50 ns), current flow from field emission on nearby
electrodes is too small to cause serious charge accumulation on an insulator. In this case,
the onset of insulator breakdown is probably associated with charge from whisker
explosions on the metal electrodes. This is consistent with experiments; short-pulse
breakdown levels on insulators between metal plates are in the 10-15 MV/m range.
5. Electrons produced in a whisker explosion move away from a metal electrode because
the electric field is normal to the surface. In contrast, electrons can be accelerated parallel
to the surface of an insulator. High-energy electrons striking the insulator can lead to
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
ejection of surface material. A microburst between metal electrodes in vacuum has a slow
growth of discharge current (over many ion transit times) and may actually quench. In
contrast, a discharge initiated along an insulator has a rapid growth of current and usually
leads to a complete system short.
6. For long voltage pulses, field emission from nearby metal electrodes leads to
accumulated space charge on insulator surfaces and field distortion (Fig.9.20b). Secondary
emission coefficients on insulators are generally above unity in the energy range from 100
eV to a few keV. The impact of field-emitted electrons results in a net positive surface
charge. This charge attracts more electrons, so that the electric field distortion increases.
The nonuniform surface electric field fosters breakdown at levels well below that for
whisker explosion on surrounding electrodes ( 2 MV/m).
There are some steps that can be taken to maximize voltage hold-off along an insulator surface:
1. The triple point is the location where metal and insulator surfaces meet in a vacuum. In
high-voltage pulsed systems, whisker explosions near the triple points at both ends of the
insulator can spray charge on the insulator surface. Electrostatic shielding of the triple point
to prevent whisker explosions, as shown in Figure 9.20c, improves voltage hold-off.
2. Electrons from whisker explosions are the most dangerous particles because they travel
rapidly and have a secondary emission coefficient about two orders of magnitude higher
than ions in the keV range. Voltage hold-off is high if the insulator is shaped so that
electrons emitted from the negative electrode travel directly to the positive electrode
without striking the insulator surface. A
common insulator configuration is illustrated in Figure 9.20d. Insulator sections with
angled surfaces are separated by grading rings. With the angle shown, all electrons emitted
from either metal or insulator surfaces are collected on the rings. The hold-off level in both
pulsed and dc columns may be doubled with the proper choice of insulator angle. A graph
of breakdown level for pulsed voltages as a function of insulator angle is shown in Figure
9.21.
4. Many pulsed voltage insulating columns are constructed with grading rings in the
configuration shown in Figure 9.20d,, although the utility of rings is uncertain. Capacitive
grading is usually sufficient to prevent field distortion for fast pulses, especially if the
medium outside the vacuum insulator has a high dielectric constant. Vacuum insulators in
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
pulsed voltage systems usually have a breakdown level proportional to their length along
the field.
Insulator hold-off in dc accelerator columns may be reduced with the introduction of a beam.
Peripheral beam particles may strike the insulator directly or the beam may produce secondary
particles. Beam induced ions are dangerous if they reach energy in the range > 100 keV. These
ions have a high coefficient of secondary emission (> 10) and deposit large energy in a narrow
layer near the surface when they collide with an insulator. Figure 9.22 illustrates a section of a Van
de Graaff accelerator column designed to minimize insulator bombardment. Grading rings are
closely spaced and extend inward a good distance for shielding. Furthermore, the gradient along
the rings is purposely varied. As we saw in studying the paraxial ray equation (Section 7.5),
variation of Ez has an electrostatic lens effect on low-energy particle orbits. Secondary electrons,
ions, and negative ions are overfocused and collected on the rings before they are able to
accelerate to high energy along the column.
This section initiates our study of pulsed voltage generators. All pulsed voltage circuits have an
energy storage element where electrical energy is contained in the form of electric or magnetic
fields. The energy is transferred by a fast switch to a load. The speed of transfer (or the maximum
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
power attainable) is limited by parasitic inductance or capacitance in the circuit. The voltage pulse
waveform is determined by the configuration of the energy storage element and the nature of the
load. In the next sections we shall concentrate on simple resistive loads. The combination of energy
storage element and switch is usually called a voltage modulator. The circuit produces a
modulation, or variation in time, of the voltage.
There are four main accelerator applications of pulsed voltage circuits.
1. High electric field can often be sustained in small systems for short times because of
time-dependent processes controlling breakdowns. Sparking on vacuum insulators is one
example. Therefore, pulsed voltage modulators can be used to generate rapidly pulsed
high-energy beams in compact systems.
2. Pulsed accelerators are often required for the study of fast physical processes.
Applications include pulsed X-ray radiography, material response at high pressure and
temperatures, and inertial fusion.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
3. Some beam applications require power at the multimegawatt level. Such systems are
usually run at low-duty cycle. A system capable of supplying such power on a steady-state
basis would require extensive ancillary power and cooling equipment. In contrast, a pulsed
power modulator stores energy over a long time and releases it in a short pulse. This
process is called power compression. High-energy electron linacs (Section 14.1) illustrate
this process. Strong accelaccelerating gradient is obtained by injecting pulsed
electromagnetic energy into a slow-wave structure. Klystron tubes powered by modulated
dc generate the rf power.
The simplest electrical energy storage device. is a single capacitor. The voltage modulator of
Figure 9.23 consists of a capacitor (charged to voltage V0) and a shorting switch to transfer the
energy. The energy is deposited in a load resistor, R. The flow of current involved in the transfer
generates magnetic fields, so we must include the effect of a series inductance L in the circuit.
The time-dependent voltage across the circuit elements is related to the current by
VC V0 i dt/C,
m
VL L di/dt.
VR iR.
Equation (9.63) is solved with the boundary conditions i(0+) = 0 and di/dt(0+) = V0/L, where t = 0
is the switching time. The second condition follows from the fact that immediately after switching
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
the total capacitor voltage appears across the inductor rather than the resistor (see Section 9.1).
The solution of Eq. (9.63) is usually written in three different forms, depending on the values of
the following parameters:
ω0 1/ LC, (9.64)
β R/2L, (9.65)
ω1 ω20 β2,
ω2 β2 ω20,
and
δ tan1(β/ω1).
The solution with β < ω0 is illustrated in Figure 9.24a. The circuit behavior is oscillatory. Energy
is transferred back and forth between the inductor and capacitor at approximately the characteristic
frequency, ω0. There is a small energy loss each oscillation, determined by the damping parameter
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The circuit is underdamped. We shall study the underdamped LRC circuit in more detail when we
consider rf accelerators. The time dependent current is
i(t) (CV0/cosδ) exp(βt) [ω1 sin(ω1tδ) β cos(ω1tδ)]
(9.66)
CV0ω0 exp(βt) sinω0t) (β «ω0).
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
energy storage for, pulsed power applications is that a much higher energy density can be stored.
Consider, for instance, a Mylar insulated capacitor with ε/ε0 3 and a field stress of 200 kV/cm.
Applying Eq. (5.19), the electrical energy density is only 104 J/m3 (0.01 J/cm3). In contrast, the
energy density in a vacuum inductor with a field of 2 T (20 kG) is 1.6 × 106 J/m3 (1.6 J/cm3). The
reason magnetic storage is not regularly used is the lack of a suitable fast opening switch. It is
relatively easy to make a fast closing switch that conducts no current until a self-sustained
discharge is initiated, but it is difficult to interrupt a large current and hold off the subsequent
inductive voltage spike.
The single-capacitor modulator is suitable for voltages less than 100 kV, but is seldom used at
higher voltages. Transformer-based power supplies for direct charging are very large above 100
kV. Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain commercial high -energy-density capacitors at high
voltage. Impulse generators are usually used for pulsed high voltage in the 0.1-10 MV range.
These generators consist of a number of capacitors charged in parallel to moderate voltage levels
(50 kV). The capacitors are switched to a series configuration by simultaneously triggered
shorting switches. The voltages of the capacitors add in the series configuration.
We will consider two widely used circuits, the Marx generator [E. Marx, Electrotech. Z. 45,652
(1925)] and the LC generator. Impulse generators that produce submicrosecond pulses require less
insulation than a single capacitor with a steady-state charge at the full output voltage. The peak
voltage is applied for only a short time, and breakdown paths do not have time to form in the liquid
or gas insulation. High-field stress means that compact systems can be designed. Small systems
have lower parasitic inductance and can therefore achieve higher output power.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A typical configuration for a Marx generator is illustrated in Figure 9.26. Positive and negative
power supplies (±V0) are used, charging the capacitors as shown in Figure 9.26a. Charging current
is carried to the capacitors through isolation resistors (or inductors) that act as open circuits during
the fast output pulse. The capacitor stack is interrupted by high-voltage shorting switches.
Gas-filled distortion spark gaps are ideal for this application. The trigger enters at the midplane of
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
where C is the capacitance of a single capacitor, N is the number of switches, and V0 is the
magnitude of the charge voltage.
The load must be isolated from the generator by a high-voltage switch during the mode change
from parallel to series. The isolation switch is usually a low-inductance spark gap. It can be
actively triggered or it can be adjusted for self-breakdown near the peak output voltage. Energy
transfer to the load should take place at t LC/2 so that no energy remains in the external
inductors. The transfer must be rapid compared to the mode change time or energy will return to
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
the inductors, reducing the generator efficiency. Typically, an LC generator may have a mode
change time of 6 µs and a transfer time to the load of 0.3 µs.
The equivalent circuit for the LC generator in the series state is the same as that for the Marx
generator (Fig. 9.26c). The main difference is that the series inductances are reduced by
elimination of the switches. The main disadvantages of the LC generator compared to the Marx
generator are that the switching sequence is more complex, a low-inductance output switch is
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
required, and the circuit remains at high voltage for a longer time. Triggering one reversmg circuit
does not result in an overvoltage on the spark gaps of other sections. Therefore, all the switches in
an LC generator must be actively fired with strong, synchronized trigger pulses.
Most accelerator applications for pulse modulators require a constant-voltage pulse. The critically
damped waveform is the closest a modulator with a single capacitor and inductor can approach
constant voltage. Better waveforms can be generated by modulators with multiple elements. Such
circuits are called pulse-forming networks (PFNs). The transmission line is the continuous limit of
a PFN. We shall approach the analysis of transmission lines in this section by a lumped element
description rather than the direct solution of the Maxwell equations. Application of transmission
lines as modulators is discussed in the following section. Discrete element PFNs are treated in
Section 9.11.
We will derive the transmission line equations in the time domain. The goal is to find total
voltage and current on the line as functions of time and position in response to specified inputs.
The input functions have arbitrary time dependence, and may contain a number of frequency
components. The frequency-domain analysis will be used in the study of rf accelerators which
operate at a single frequency (Section 12.6). In the frequency-domain analysis, each harmonic
component is treated separately. Voltage and current along the transmission line are described by
algebraic equations instead of differential equations.
We will concentrate on the coaxial transmission line, illustrated in Figure 9.28. Properties of
other common geometries are listed in Table 9.3. The coaxial line consists of an inner conducting
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
cylinder (of radius Ri) and a grounded outer cylinder (Ro) separated by a medium with dielectric
constant ε. We assume a linear magnetic permeability, µ. Figure 9.29a shows a sectional view of a
line divided into differential elements of length (∆z). Each element has a capacitance between the
center and outer conductors proportional to the length of the element . If c is the capacitance per
length, the capacitance of an element is c∆z. Magnetic fields are produced by current flow along
the center conductor, Each differential element also has a series inductance, l∆x where l is the
inductance per unit length. The circuit model of Figure 9.29b can be applied as a model of the
transmission line. The quantities c and l for cylindrical geometry are given by
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Before solving the circuit of Figure 9.29b, we should consider carefully the physical basis for the
correspondence between the circuit model and the coaxial line. The following observations about
the nature of electric and magnetic fields in the line are illustrated in Figure 9.29a.
1. Fast-pulsed magnetic fields cannot penetrate into a good conducting material. We shall
study this effect, the magnetic skin depth, in Section 10.2. Because there is no magnetic
field inside the center conductor, the longitudinal current must flow on the outer surface.
2. The outer conductor is thick compared to the magnetic skin depth. Therefore, magnetic
fields resulting from current flow on the inner conductor are not observed outside the line.
Real current flowing on the outside of the inner conductor is balanced by negative current
flow on the inside of the outer conductor. Magnetic fields are confined between the two
cylinders.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
4. If the distance over which current on the inner conductor varies is large compared to
(Ro - Ri), then the only component of magnetic field is toroidal, Bθ.
5. Similarly, if the voltage on the inner conductor varies over a long distance scale, then
there is only a radial component of electric field.
Observations 1, 2, and 3 imply that we can treat the outer conductor as an ideal ground; voltage
variations occur along the inner conductor. The two quantities of interest that determine the fields
in the line are the current flow along the inner conductor and the voltage of the inner conductor
with respect to the grounded outer conductor. Observations 4 and 5 define conditions under which
electromagnetic effects can be described by the simple lumped capacitor and inductor model. The
condition is that ω « v/(RoRi) , where ω is the highest frequency component of the signal and
v 1/ εµ . At higher frequency, complex electromagnetic modes can occur that are not well
described by a single capacitor and inductor in a length elemental
Voltage differences along the center conductor are inductive. They are supported by changes in
magnetic flux in the region between the two cylinders. Differences in current along the center
conductor result from displacement current between the inner and outer conductors. The
interaction of voltage, real current, and displacement current is illustrated in Figure 9.30a. The
figure indicates the motion of a step input in voltage and current down a transmision line. The
magnetic field behind the front is constant; the flux change to support the voltage differences
between the inner and outer conductors comes about from the motion of the front. There is a rapid
change of voltage at the pulse front. This supports a radial displacement current equal to the
current of the pulse Current returns along the. other conductor to complete the circuit. T'he
balance between these effects determines the relationship between voltage and current and the
propagation velocity of the pulse.
Referring to Figure 9.29b, the voltage at point n is equal to the total current that has flowed into
the point divided by the capacitance. Using the sign convention shown, this statement is expressed
by
dt (In1 In) / (c∆z) Vn. (9.73)
m
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
c∆z ( Vn/ t) I n In 1.
(9.74)
The relationship is a partial differential equation because we are viewing the change in voltage with
time at a constant position. The difference in voltage between two points is the inductive voltage
between them, or
l∆z ( In/ t) Vn Vn 1.
(9.75)
If ∆z becomes small, the discrete voltages approach a continuous function, V(z, t). The voltage
difference between two points can be approximated in terms of this function as
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Similarly,
In1 In [ I(zn,t)/ z] ∆z. (9.77)
Substituting the results of Eqs. (9.76) and (9.77) into Eqs. (9.74) and (9.75) gives the continuous
partial differential equations
V/ z l ( I/ t), (9.78)
I/ z c ( V/ t). (9.79)
Equations (9.78) and (9.79) are called the telegraphist's equations. They can be combined to give
wave equations for V and I of the form
2V/ z 2 (lc) ( 2V/ t 2). (9.80)
Equation (9.80) is a mathematical expression of the properties of a transmisSion line. It has the
following implications:
The spatial variation of voltage along the line can be measured at a particular time t by an array of
probes. A measurement at a time t + ∆t would show the same voltage variation but translated a
distance v∆t either upstream or downstream. This property is illustrated in Figure 9.30b. Another
way to phrase this result is that a voltage pulse propagates in the transmission line at velocity v
without a change in shape. Pulses can travel in either the +z or -z directions, depending on the
input conditions.
2. The current in the center conductor is also described by Eq. (9.80) so that
I(z,t) G(t ± z/v). (9.83)
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
3. The velocity of propagation in the coaxial transmission line can be found by substituting Eqs.
(9.71) and (9.72) into Eq. (9.82):
v 1/ εµ c/ (ε/εo)(µ/µ o). (9.84)
This velocity is the speed of light in the medium. The geometric factors in c and l cancel for all
transmission lines so that the propagation velocity is determined only by the properties of the
medium filling the line.
4. Inspection of Eqs. (9.78) and (9.79) shows that voltage is linearly proportional to the current
at all points in the line, independent of the functional form of the pulse shape. In other words,
V I Z o, (9.85)
where Zo is a real number. The quantity Zo is called the characteristic impedance of the line. Its
value depends on the geometry of the line. The characteristic impedance for a coaxial transmission
line is
Zo l/c µ/ε ln(Ro/Ri)/2π. (9.86)
5. Polarities of voltage and current often cause confusion. Conventions are illustrated in Figure
9.30c. A positive current is directed in the +z direction; a negative current moves in the -z
direction. A positive-going current waveform creates a magnetic flux change that results in a
positive voltage on the center conductor.
A transmission line is a distributed capacitor. Energy is stored in the line when the center
conductor is charged to high voltage. Transmission lines have the property that they can produce a
constant-voltage output pulse when discharged into a resistive load. In order to understand this,
we shall first consider the properties of signal propagation on finite length fines with resistive loads
at an end. A load at the end of a transmission line is called a termination.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Figure 9.31 shows a transmission line extending from z = 0 to infinity driven by a voltage
generator. The generator determines the entrance boundary condition on the line: Vg(z = 0, t). The
generator supplies a current Vg/Z0. The assumption of an infinite line means, that there are no
negatively-directed waves. There is a positively-directed wave produced by the generator. A
voltage probe a distance L from the generator measures a signal Vs(t ) Vg(t L/v) . Similarly a
current probe gives a signal Is(t ) Vg(t L/v)/Z o .
Assume that the line is split at the point L and he pieces are connected together with a good
coaxial connector. This change makes no difference in wave propagation on the line or the signals
observed at L. Proceeding another step, the infinite length. of line beyond the split could be
replaced with a resistor with value R = Zo. The important point is that, in term of observations at L,
wave propagation with the resistive termination is indistinguishable from that with the infinite line.
The boundary condition at the connection point is the same, V(L, t) = I(L, t)Zo. In both cases, the
energy of the pulse passes through the connector and does not return. In the case of the line, pulses
propagate to infinity. With the resistor, the pulse energy is dissipated. T'he resistor with R = Zo is
a matched termination.
We must consider the properties of two other terminations in order to understand the
transmission line as an energy storage element. One of them is an open circuit, illustrated in Figure
9.12a. Assume the voltage generator produces a sharp rising step pulse with voltage +Vo and
current +Io. When the step function reaches the open circuit, it can propagate no further. The
open-circuit condition requires that a probe at position z = L measures zero current. This occurs if
the boundary reflects the original wave as shown, giving a pulse propagating in the negative z
direction with positive voltage and negative current. When this pulse is added to the positive-going
pulse from the generator, the net current is zero and the net voltage is + 2Vo.
Similar considerations apply to the short-circuit termination (Fig. 9.32b). A voltage probe at z =
L always measures zero voltage. The interaction of the inconung wave with a short-circuit
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
termination generates a negative-going wave with negative voltage and positive current. In other
words, the termination acts as an inverting transformer. These reflection properties can be
confirmed by a direct numerical solution of Eqs. (9.78) and (9.79) with appropriate boundary
conditions.
The circuit for a transmission line pulsed voltage modulator is shown in Figure 9.33. The center
conductor of a line of length L is charged to high voltage by a power supply. The supply is
connected through a large resistance or inductance; the connection can be considered an open
circuit during the output pulse. The other end of the line is connected through a shorting switch to
the load. We assume the load is a matched termination, R = Zo.
Consider, first, the state of the charged line before switching. The center conductor has voltage
Vo. There is no net current flow. Reference to Figure 9.33 shows that the standing voltage
waveform of this state can be decomposed into two oppositely directed propagating pulses. The
pulses are square voltage pulses with length L and magnitude ½Vo. The positively-directed pulse
reflects from the switch open-circuit termination to generate a negatively-directed pulse that fills in
behind the original negative-going pulse. The same process occurs at the other open-circuit
termination; therefore, the properties of the line are static.
The resolution of a static charge into two traveling pulses helps in determining the
time-dependent behavior of the circuit following switching. We are free to choose the boundaries
of the positive and negative pulses at any location; let us assume that they are at z = 0 and z = L at
the time of switching, t = 0. Following switching, the positive-going pulse travels into the
termination while the negative pulse moves away from it. The positive pulse produces a flat-top
voltage waveform of duration ∆t L/v and magnitude ½Vo in the load. At the same time, the
negative-gomg pulse reflects from the open circuit at the charging end and becomes a
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
positive-going pulse following immediately behind the original The negative pulse deposits its
energy in the load during the time L/v t 2L/v . In summary, the discharge of a transmission
line through a shorting switch into a matched resistive load produces a constant-voltage pulse. The
magnitude of the pulse is ½Vo and the duration is
∆t p 2L/v. (9.88)
It is easily demonstrated that energy is conserved when the line is discharged into a matched
termination by comparing CVo2 to the time integral of power into the load. The total series
inductance of a transmission line is
L Zo∆t. (9.90)
Transformer oil is a common insulator for high-voltage transmission lines. It has a relative
dielectric constant of 3.4. The velocity of electromagnetic pulses in oil is about 0.16 m/ns. Voltage
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
hold-off in a coaxial transmission line is maximized when Ri/Ro 1/e . For oil this translates into a
33 Ω characteristic impedance [Eq. (9.87)). Purified water is used as a transmission line energy
storage medium in high-power density pulsed modulators because of its high relative dielectric
constant ( ε/εo 81 ). Water is conductive, so that water lines must be pulse charged. In
comparison with oil, a water line with a l/e radius ratio can drive a 6.8 Ω load. For the same charge
voltage, the energy density in a water line is 24 times higher than in an oil line.
Two features of the transmission line pulse modulator are often inconvenient for high-voltage
work. First, the matched pulse has an amplitude only half that of the charge voltage. Second, the
power transfer switch must be located between the high-voltage center conductor and the load.
The switch is boosted to high voltage; this makes trigger isolation difficult. The problems are
solved by the Blumlein transmission line configuration [A. D. Blumlein, U.S. Patent No. 2,465,840
(1948)]. The circuit consists of two (or more) coupled transmission lines. Fast-shorting switches
cause voltage reversal in half the lines for a time equal to the double transit time of electromagnetic
pulses. The result is that output pulses are produced at or above the dc charge voltage, depending
on the number of stages. The Blumlein line circuit is the distributed element equivalent of the LC
generator.
We shall analyze the two-stage transmission line driving a matched resistive load. A circuit with
nested coaxial transmission lines is illustrated in Figure 9.34a. The three cylinders are labeled OC
(outer conductor), IC (intermediate conductor), and CC (center conductor) . The diameters of the
cylinders are usually chosen go that the characteristic impedance of the inner line is equal to that of
the outer line. This holds when ROC/RIC RICRCC . We neglect end effects and assume that both
lines have the same electromagnetic transit time.
A high-voltage feed penetrates the outer cylinder to charge the intermediate cylinder. The center
conductor is connected to ground through an isolation element. The isolator acts as a short circuit
over long times but approximates an open circuit during the output pulse. It is usually a simple
inductor, although we shall investigate a more complex isolator when we study linear induction
accelerators (Section 10.5). A shorting switch between the IC and OC is located at the end
opposite the load.
The equivalent circuit of the two-stage Blumlein line is shown in Figure 9.34b. In order to
analyze the pulse output of the circuit, we make the following assumptions:
2. The isolation element is an ideal open circuit during the pulse output.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
In the steady state, the intermediate conductor is charged to -Vo. The other two electrodes have
positive voltage relative to the intermediate conductor. The static charge can be represented in the
inner and outer lines as two oppositely-directed positive voltage pulses of length L and magnitude
½Vo. Pulses arriving at the end connected to the load are partially reflected and partially
transmitted to the other line. Transmission is the same in both directions so that a steady state is
maintained. Assume that the boundaries of positive and negative pulses are aligned as shown in
Figure 9.35a at switching time t = 0-.
The following events take place when the shorting switch is activated:
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
1. There is a time lag before information about the shorting is communicated the load. During this
time, the +z-directed pulse in the outer line and the -z-directed pulse in the inner line continue to
move toward the load. The balance of transmission and reflection causes a positive-polarity
reflected pulse to move backward in each line as though the midpoint were an open circuit (Fig.
9.35b).
2. The +z-directed pulse in the inner line moves to the open-circuit end opposite the load and is
reflected with positive polarity. The major activity in the circuit is associated with the -z-directed
pulse on the outer fine. This pulse encounters the short circuit and reflects with negative polarity.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
3. The negative-polarity pulse arrives at the load at ∆t L/v . We make the imaginary
connection at this time. Power from the positive pulse in the inner line and the negative pulse in the
outer line is deposited in the two matched loads (Fig. 9.35c). The voltages on the loads have
magnitude ½Vo and the same polarity; therefore, there is a net voltage of Vo between the
connection points of the center and outer conductors to the load.
4. The situation of Figure 9.35c holds for ∆t < t < 2∆t . During this time, the other pulse
components in the two lines reflect from the boundaries opposite the load. The polarity of the
reflected wave is positive in the inner line and negative in the outer line.
5. The pulses that originally moved away from the load deposit their energy during the time
2∆t < t < 3∆t (Fig. 9.35d).
6. Inspection of Figures 9.35c and d shows that currents from the two lines are equal and opposite
in the imaginary conductor during the output pulse. Because the connection carries no current, we
can remove it without changing the circuit behavior.
The above model resolves the Blumlein line into two independent transmission lines driving a
series load. The voltage in one line is reversed by reflection at a short circuit. Voltages that cancel
in the static state add in the switched mode. In summary, the Blumlein line circuit has the following
characteristics:
1. An output voltage pulse of Vo is applied to a matched load between the center conductor and the
outer conductor for the double transit time of an individual line, 2L/v.
2.The voltage pulse is delayed from the switch time by an interval L/v.
4.A negatively charged intermediate conductor results in a positive output pulse when the switch is
located between the intermediate and outer conductors. The output pulse is negative if a shorting
switch is located between the intermediate and center conductors.
The Blumlein line configuration is more difficult to construct than a simple transmission line.
Furthermore, the Blumlein line has no advantage with respect to energy storage density.
Neglecting the thickness of the middle conductor and its voltage grading structures, it is easy to
show that the output impedance, stored energy density, pulselength, and output voltage are the
same as that for an equal volume transmission line (with Ri = RCC and Ro = ROC) charged to 2Vo.
The main advantage of the Blumlein line is that requirements on the charging circuit are relaxed. It
is much less costly to build a 1-MV Marx generator than 2-MV generator with the same stored
energy. Furthermore, in the geometry of Figure 9.34, the switch can be a trigatron with the
triggered electrode on the ground side. This removes the problem of trigger line isolation.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Transmission lines are well suited for output pulselengths in the range 5 ns < ∆tp < 200 ns, but they
are impractical for pulselengths above 1 µs. Discrete element circuits are usually used for long
pulselengths. They achieve better output waveforms than the critically damped circuit by using
more capacitors and inductors. Discrete element circuits that provide a shaped waveform are called
pulse-forming networks.
The derivations of Section 9.8 suggest that the circuit of Figure 9.36 can provide a pulse with an
approximately constant voltage. A transmission line is simulated by a finite number N of
inductor-capacitor units. Following the derivation of Section 9.8, the resistance of a matched load
is
Zo L/C. (9.91)
The quantities L and C are the inductance and capacitance of discrete elements. We shall call Zo
the impedance of the PFN. The single transit time of an electromagnetic pulse through the network
is approximately N LC . The output voltage pulse has average magnitude ½Vo and duration
∆tp 2N LC .
The output pulse of a five-element network into a matched resistive load is shown in Figure 9.37.
Although the general features are as expected, there is substantial overshoot at the beginning of the
pulse and an undershoot at the end. In addition, there are voltage oscillations during the pulse. In
some applications, these imperfections are not tolerable. For instance, the pulse modulator may be
used to drive an ion injector where the beam optics depends critically on the voltage.
A Fourier analysis of the circuit of Figure 9.36 indicates the basis for the poor pulse shaping. The
circuit generates N Fourier components with relative amplitudes optimized to replicate a
sharp-edged square voltage pulse. In the Fourier series expansion of a square pulse, the
magnitudes of the terms of order n decrease only as the inverse of the first power of n, an 1/n .
Thus, many terms are needed for an accurate representation. In other words, a large number of
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
elements is needed in the circuit of Figure 9.36 for a relatively constant output voltage. Such a
division increases the size and cost of the modulator.
A different approach to the PFN, developed by Guillemin [E.A. Guillemin, Communications
Networks, Vol. II, (Wiley, New York, 1935)] provides much better pulse shaping with fewer
elements. He recognized that the slow convergence of the network of Figure 9.36 is a consequence
of approximating a discontinuous waveform. In most applications, the main concern is a good
voltage flat-top, and gradual voltage variation on the rise and fall of the pulse can be tolerated The
key is to work in reverse from a smooth waveform to derive a generating circuit.
We can utilize a Fourier series analysis if we apply the following procedure. Consider first an
ideal transmission line discharged into a short-circuit load (Fig. 9.38a). The current oscillates
between +2Io and -2Io, where Io is the output current when the line is discharged into a matched
load, Io Vo/2Z o . The periodic bipolar waveform can be analyzed by a Fourier series. When the
circuit is connected to a matched load, there is a single square pulse (Fig. 9.38b). By analogy, if we
could determine a circuit that produced a different bipolar current waveform with peak amplitude
2Io, such as the trapezoidal pulse of Figure 9.38c, then we expect that it would produce a
trapezoidal pulse (Fig 9.38d) of amplitude Io when connected to a resistance R Vo/2Io . We
shall verify this analogy by direct computation.
It remains to determine a circuit that will produce the waveform of Figure 9.38c.when
discharged into a short. The Fourier series representation of a trapezoidal current pulse with
magnitude 2Io, total length ∆tp and rise and fall times a∆tp is
4 sin(nπa) nπt
i(t) 2Io j sin . (9.92)
n nπ nπa ∆tp
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Consider the circuit of Figure 9.39. It consists of a number of parallel LC sections. If the PFN is
dischared into a short circuit, the current flow through each of the sections is independent of the
others. This occurs because the voltage across each section is zero. The current in a particular
section after switching is
t
i n(t) in0 sin (9.93)
L nC n
We choose the inductance and capacitance of sections so that their free harmonic oscillations are at
the frequency of the Fourier components in Eq. (9.92). In other words,
256
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
We know from our study of the undamped LC circuit (Section 9.6) that the magnitude of the
current flowing through any one of the sections after switching is
in0 V0/ Ln/Cn. (9.95)
If Zo is the desired characteristic impedance, the magnitude are matched to the Fourier series if
Vo/ Ln/Cn (Vo/Zo) (4/nπ) [sin(nπa)/nπa], (9.96)
where we have substituted Vo/Zo 2I o . Equations (9.94) and (9.96) can be solved to give the
appropriate component values of the PFN:
Ln (Z o∆tp/4) / [sin(nπa)/nπa], Cn (4∆tp/n 2π2Z o) / [sin(nπa)/nπa]. (9.97)
Figure 9.40 shows a voltage pulse on a matched resistor (R = Zo) for three and five-element
Guillemin networks using the circuit values determined from Eqs. (9.97). Note the improvement
compared to the pulse shape of Figure 9.37. Equation (9.92) shows that the Fourier expansion
converges as 1/N2. A better flat-top can be obtained by approximating smoother pulses. For
instance, the series converges as 1/N3 if the pulse is assumed to have parabolic edges with no
discontinuity in slope. Alternate circuits to that of Figure 9.39 can be derived. The main
disadvantage of the Guillemin network is that the capacitors all have different values. It is usually
difficult to procure commercial high-voltage capacitors with the required capacitances.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Electron and ion beams in the megampere range have been generated in pulsed power diodes [see
T. H. Martin and M. F. Rose, Eds., Proc. 4th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, (IEEE
83CH1908-3, Piscataway, New Jersey, 1983)]. Such beams have, application to inertial fusion and
studies of materials at high temperature, pressure, and radiation levels. High-power pulse
modulators are needed to drive the diodes. Pulsed power research is largely centered on extending
the limits of the output power of voltage generators. At present, single-unit generators have been
built that can apply power in the TW (1012 W) range to a load. Typical output parameters of such a
modulator are 1 MA of current at 1 MV in a 50-ns pulse. Parallel generators have reached levels of
10 TW.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Power compression is the technique that has allowed the generation of such high output. A
general power compression circuit is illustrated in Figure 9.41. Energy is transferred from one
stage of energy storage to the next in an increasingly rapid sequence. Each storage stage has higher
energy density and lower inductance. Even though energy is lost in each transfer, the decrease in
transfer time is sufficient to raise the peak power.
The first power compression stage in Figure 9.41 is one we are already familiar with. A dc
source charges an impulse generator such as a Marx generator. The output power from the Marx
generator may be a factor of 107 higher than the average power from the source. In the example,
the Marx generator transfers its energy to a low-inductance water-filled capacitor. A shorting
switch then passes the energy to a low-impedance transmission line. A low-inductance multi-
channel switch then connects the line to a vacuum load. Power multiplication in stages following
the Marx generator are not so dramatic; gains become increasingly difficult. Figure 9.42 is a scale
drawing of a pulsed power compression system to generate 300-kV, 300-kA, 80-ns pulses. The
system consists of a low inductance 1-MV LC generator that pulse-charges a 1.5-Ω water-filled
transmission line. Energy from the line is transferred by a multi-element high-pressure gas switch.
The pulse is matched to a 1-Ω electron beam load by a coaxial line transformer.
The highest power levels have been achieved with multiple stages of capacitive energy storage
connected by sequenced shorting switches. Triggered gas-filled switches are used in the early
stages. Gas switches have too much inductance for later stages, so that self-breakdown between
electrodes in a highly stressed liquid medium is used. Discharges in liquids absorb considerable
energy. The resulting shock wave rapidly erodes electrodes. Therefore, machines of this type are
fired typically 1-10 times per day and may need repair after 10-100 shots. In Section 9.13, we shall
study a potential method for low-inductance switching at high repetition rate, saturable core
magnetic switching. Characteristics of the EAGLE pulsed power generator are summarized in
Table 9.4.
Transfer of energy between capacitors forms the basis of most pulsed power generators. A model
for the transfer is illustrated in Figure 9.43. A capacitor is charged to voltage Vo, and then energy is
switched through an inductance to a second capacitor by a shorting switch. The inductance may be
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
introduced purposely or may represent the inevitable parasitic inductance associated with current
flow. Current in the circuit is described by the equation
Vo idt/C1 L (di/dt) idt/C2 0,
m m
or
L (d 2i/dt 2) i (C1C2)/C1C2. (9.98)
If the switch, is closed at t = 0, then the initial conditions are i(0) = 0 and di(0)/dt = Vo/L. The
solution of Eq. (9.98) is
i(t) Vo sin(ωt) / L(C1C2)/C1C2 , (9.99)
where
ω L C1C2/(C1C2)
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
261
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The quantities of interest are the time-dependent charge voltages on the two capacitors.
V1(t) Vo idt/C1, V2(t) idt/C2. (9.100)
m m
Waveforms are plotted in Figure 9.44 for C2 = C1 and C2 « C1. The first case is the optimum choice
for a high-efficiency power compression circuit. A complete transfer of energy from the first to the
second capacitor occurs at time t = π/ω. In the second case, the energy transfer is inefficient but
the second capacitor is driven to twice the charge voltage of the first. For this reason, the circuit of
Figure 9.43 is often called the peaking capacitor circuit.
262
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Although the process of pulse shaping by saturable core ferromagnetic inductors has been used for
many years in low-voltage circuits, application to high-power circuits is a recent area of interest.
Magnetic switches can be constructed with low inductance and high transfer efficiency. Energy
losses are distributed evenly over the core mass, and there is no deionization time as there is in gas
or liquid breakdown switches. These factors give magnetic switches potential capability for high
repetition rate operation.
A two-stage power compression circuit with a magnetic switch is shown in Figure 9.45a.
Capacitors C0 and C1 constitute a peaking circuit. Energy is transferred by a normal shorting
switch. The energy in C1 is then routed to a load by a saturable core inductor switch. The circuit
achieves power compression if the switch out time from C1 is short compared to the initial
transfer. We choose C0 = C1 for high efficiency.
In order to understand the operation of the circuit of Figure 9.45 a, we must refer to the
hysteresis curve of Figure 5.12. We assume that the ferromagnetic core of the inductor is ideal; its
properties are described by a static hysteresis curve. This means that there are no real currents
263
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
flowing in the core material; magnetic effects are produced solely by alignment of atomic currents.
Methods of core construction to assure this condition are described in Chapter 10. We further
assume that at some time before t = 0 a separate circuit has pulsed a negative current through the
ferromagnetic core sufficient to bias it to -Bs. After the current is turned off, the core settles to a
state with flux level -Br. This process is called core reset.
Consider the sequence of events after the shorting switch is activated. At early times, the
right-hand portion of the circuit is approximately an open circuit because of the high inductance of
the winding around the high µ core. Energy flows from C0 to C1; the voltage on C1 is given by Eq.
(9.102). Further, Faraday's law implies that
V1(t) N A c (dB/dt), (9.103)
where Ac is the cross-section area of the core and N is the number of windings in the inductor. The
core reaches saturation when
V1(t) dt N Ac (Bs Br). (9.104)
m
After saturation, the inductance L2 decreases by a large factor, approaching the vacuum inductance
of the winding. The transition from high to low inductance is a bootstrapping process that occurs
rapidly. Originally, translation along the H axis of the hysteresis curve is slow because of the high
inductance. Near saturation, the inductance drops and the rate of change of leakage current
increases. The rate of change of H increases, causing a further drop in the inductance. The
impedance change of the output switch may be as fast as 5 ns for a well-designed core and
low-inductance output winding.
Energy is utilized efficiently if the output switch has high impedance for 0 t π/ω and the
switch core reaches saturation at the end of the interval when all the circuit energy is stored in C1.
Integrating Eq. (9.103) over this time span gives the following prescription for optimum core
parameters
N A c (Bs Br) Voπ/2ω. (9.105)
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
In Eq. (9.106), Lns1 is the saturated (or vacuum) inductance of the winding around core n-1 and
Nn is the number of turns around core n.
3.The unsaturated inductance of winding n should be much larger than the saturated inductance
of winding n-1, or
u s
L n » Ln1. (9.107)
Equation (9.107) implies that prepulse is small; power does not move forward in the circuit until
265
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
switching time.
4. The saturated inductance of winding n should be small compared to the saturated inductance of
winding n-1,
u u
L n « Ln1. (9.108)
Equation (9.108) guarantees that the time for energy transfer from Cn to Cn+1 is short compared to
the time for energy to flow backward from Cn to Cn-1; therefore, most of the energy in the circuit
moves forward.
One practical way to construct a multistage power compression circuit is to utilize identical
cores (constant Ac, Bs and Br) and capacitors (constant C0) and to vary the number of turns around
each core to meet the conditions listed above. In this case, the first and second conditions imply
that the number of turns decreases geometrically along the circuit or Nn Bn1/κ . If we assume
that the saturated and unsaturated inductances vary by a factor µ/µ o, conditions 3 and 4 imply that
κ2 « (µ/µ o) and κ2 » 1 . These conditions are satisfied if 1 < κ < µ/µ o .The power compression
that can be attained per stage is limited. The time to transfer energy scales as
τn/τn1 ` Ln/Ln1 ` 1/κ. (9.109)
The power compression ratio is the inverse of Eq. (9.109). For ferrite cores with µ/µ o ` 400, the
maximum power compression ratio per stage is about 5.
Magnetic switches in low-power circuits are usually toroidal pulse cores with insulated wire
266
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Accurate measurements of acceleration voltage and beam current are essential in applications to
charged particle acceleration. The problem is difficult for pulsed beams because the frequency
response of the diagnostic must be taken into account. In this section, we shall consider some basic
diagnostic methods.
The diagnostic devices we shall discuss respond to electric or magnetic fields over a limited
region of space. For instance, measurement of the current through a resistor gives the
instantaneous spatially-averaged electric field over the dimension of the resistor. Confusion often
arises when electric field measurements are used to infer a voltage. In particle acceleration
applications voltage usually means the energy a charged particle gains or loses crossing the region
of measurement. Signals from voltage diagnostics must be carefully interpreted at high frequency
because of two effects.
1. Particle energy gain is not equal to E(dx (where the integral is taken at a fixed time) when the
m
267
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
time interval for the particle to cross the region is comparable to or less than the period of voltage
oscillations. This is called the transit time effect and is treated in Section 14.4.
2. The voltage difference between two points is not a useful concept when the wavelength of
electromagnetic oscillations is less than or comparable to the dimension of the region. In this case,
electric field may vary over the length of the diagnostic. For example, in the presence of a bipolar
electric field pattern, a voltage diagnostic may generateno signal.
Similarly, magnetic field measurements can be used to infer current flow at low frequency, but
caution should be exercised in interpretation at high frequency.
The only, time-independent device that can measure a dc voltage is the resistive shunt (Fig. 9.49a).
The resistive shunt consists of a resistor string of value Rp attached between the measurement point
and ground. The quantity Rp must be high enough to prevent overloading the voltage source or
overheating the resistors. The net voltage can be inferred by measuring current flow through
the chain with a microammeter,
is V0/R p. (9.110)
268
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
Another approach is to measure the voltage across a resistor Rs at the low-voltage end of the
chain. This configuration is called a resistive divider (Fig. 9.49b). The division ratio, or the signal
voltage divided by the measured voltage, is
Q CpV0.
We assume further that the probe electrode and rotating window are near ground potential and
that their surfaces are almost flush with the surface of the outer electrode. Field lines between the
high-voltage electrode and the probe are radial; therefore, the mutual capacitance is equal to Ct
times the fraction of outer electrode area occupied by the probe. If Ap is the area of the hole in the
rotating plate, then the capacitance between the high-voltage electrode and probe varies between
Ct Ap/4πR1 .
2
0 Cp
269
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
100 pF; the mutual capacitance between terminal and probe is 0.07 pF. The signal current is
approximately is ` V0 (ωCp/2) cosωt . Substituting values, the magnitude of the ac current is 3.5
µA, an easily measured quantity.
T'he electrostatic approximation is usually applicable to the measurements of output voltage for
pulsed power modulators. For example, electromagnetic waves travel 15 m in vacuum during a
50-ns pulse. The interpretation of voltage monitor outputs is straightforward as long as the
dimensions of the load and leads are small compared to this distance.
Resistive dividers are well suited to pulsed voltage measurements, but some care must be
exercised to compensate for frequency-dependent, effects. Consider the divider illustrated in
Figure 9.49. Only the resistance values are important for dc measurements, but we must include
effects of capacitance and inductance in the structure for pulsed measurements. A more detailed
circuit model for the resistive divider is shown in Figure 9.51. There is inductance associated with
current flow through the resistors and a shunt capacitance between points on the divider.
270
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A particularly unfavorable situation occurs when the primary resistor chain is a water solution
resistor and the signal resistor is an ordinary carbon-composition resistor. Water resistors have
high dielectric strength and good energy-absorbing ability, but they also have a large shunt
capacitance, Cp. Therefore, on time scales less than R0Cp, the circuit acts as a differentiator. A
square input pulse gives the pulse shape shown in Figure 9.52b.
The above example illustrates a general problem of pulsed voltage attenuators; under some
circumstances, they may not produce a true replication of the input waveform. We can understand
the problem by considering the diagnostic as a device that transforms an input waveform to an
output waveform. We can represent the process mathematically by expressing the input signal as a
Fourier integral,
V0(t) a(ω) exp(jωt), (9.114)
m
271
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
where a(ω) is a complex number. Neglecting the electromagnetic transit time through the
diagnostic, the transform function of a diagnostic system is a function of frequency, g(ω). The
quantity g(ω) is a complex number, representing changes in amplitude and phase. The output
signal is
Vs(t) a(ω) g(ω) exp(jωt). (9.115)
m
In an ideal diagnostic, the transformation function is a real number independent of frequency over
the range of interest. When this condition does not hold, the shape of the output signal differs from
the input. In the case of the water solution resistive divider, g(ω) is constant at low frequency but
increases in magnitude at high frequency. The result is the spiked appearance of Figure 9.52b.
Conversely, if the inductance of the divider stack is a dominant factor, high frequencies are
inhibited. The pulse risetime is limited to about L/R0, producing the pulse shown in Figure 9.52c.
Pulse shapes can often be reconstructed by computer if the transfer function for a diagnostic and
the associated cabling is known. Nonetheless, the best practice is to design the diagnostic for flat
frequency response. Devices with frequency variations must be compensated. For example,
consider the water solution resistive divider. A method of compensation is evident if we recognize
that pulsed voltage dividers can be constructed with capacitors or inductors. In the capacitive
divider (Fig. 9.53a), the division ratio is
272
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A balanced divider is illustrated in Figure 9.53c. Extra circuit components (Cs and Ls) have been
added to the probe of Figure 9.51 to compensate for the capacitance and inductance of the probe.
The divider is balanced if
R s/(RsRp) Cp/(CsCp) Ls/(LsL p). (9.118)
The component Cs pulls down the high-frequency components passed by Cp eliminating the
overshoot of Figure 9.52a. Similarly, the inductance Ls boosts low-frequency components which
were over-attenuated by Lp to improve the risetime of Figure 9.52b. Sometimes, Cp and Lp are not
known exactly, so that variable C and L are incorporated. These components are adjusted to give
the best output for a fast-rising square input pulse.
Divider balance can also be achieved through geometric symmetry. A balanced water solution
resistive divider is shown in Figure 9.54. The signal pick-off point is a screen near the ground
plane. The probe resistor and signal resistor, Rp and Rs, share the same solution. The division ratio
273
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
is given by the ratio of the length of Rs to the length of Rp. The high dielectric constant of the water
solution assures that electric field fines in the water are parallel to the column [see Eq. (5.6)].
Inspection of Figure 9.54 shows that the resistances, capacitances, and inductances are all in the
proper ratio for a balanced divider when the solution resistance, resistor diameter, and electric field
are uniform along the length of the resistor.
274
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
C. Capacitive Dividers for Pulsed Voltages
High-voltage dividers can be designed with predominantly capacitive coupling to the high-voltage
electrode. Capacitive probes have the advantage that there is no direct connection and there are
negligible electric keld perturbations. Two probes for voltage measurements in high-voltage
transmission lines are shown in Figures 9.55a and b.
275
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
T'he first probe is suitable for use in an oil or gas-filled line where the resistance of the medium is
effectively infinite and the mutual capacitance between terminal and probe is low. The capacitance
between the probe and the wall, Cs, is purposely made small. The probe is connected directly to a
signal transmission line of impedance Zo. The signal voltage on the line is
This signal is processed by an integration circuit (Section 9.1). The minimum time response of the
probe is about ZoCs. The maximum time is determined by the integration circuit.
The second probe is a self-integrating.probe for use in water-filled transmission lines. The
coupling capacitance is high in water lines; in addition, there is real current flow because of the
non-zero conductance. In this situation, the capacitance between the probe and the wall is made
high by locating the probe in a reentrant chamber. The probe acts as a capacitive divider rather
than a coupling capacitor. If the space between between the probe electrode and the wall of the
chamber is filled with a non-conductive dielectric, the divider is unbalanced because of the water
resistance. Balance can be achieved if the water of the transmission line is used as the dielectric in
the probe chamber. The minimum time response of the divider is set by electromagnetic pulse
transit time effects in the probe chamber. Low-frequency response is determined by the input
resistance of the circuit attached to the probe. If Rd is the resistance, then the signal of a square
input pulse will droop as exp(t/RdCs) . Usually, a high series Rd is inserted between the
transmission line and the probe to minimize droop and further attenuate the signal voltage.
Measurements of fast-pulsed beam flux or currents in modulators are usually performed with either
series resistors, magnetic pickup loops, or Rogowski loops. A typical series resistor configuration
for measuring the current from a pulsed electron gun is shown in Figure 9.56a. Power is supplied
from a voltage generator through a coaxial transmission line. The anode is connected to the return
conductor through a series resistor called a current-viewing resistor (CVR). Current is inferred
from the voltage across the resistor. The CVR has low resistance, Rs, and very low series
inductance. In many cases, diagnostic cables and power leads are connected to the anode. In this
situation, some circuit current flows through the ground connectors of the cables, ultimately
returning to the generator. This current does not contribute to a signal on the CVR. The current
loss is minimized if the inductance associated with the loss paths is large compared to the series
inductance of the CVR. When this condition holds, most of the primary circuit current flows
through the CVR for times short compared to L/Rs, where L is the inductance along the connecting
cables.
276
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
277
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
A design used for commercial CVRs is shown in Figure 9.56b. The diagnostic is mounted on the
return conductor of a coaxial transmission line. It consists of a toroidal chamber with a thin sheet
of stainless steel welded across the opening to preserve the cylindrical geometry. In the absence of
the resistive sheet, current flow generates a magnetic field inside the chamber; there is an
inductance Ls, associated with the convoluted path of return current. When a sheet with resistance
Rs, is added, current flows mainly through the sheet for times less than Ls/Rs. When this condition
holds, voltage measured at the pick-off point is approximately equal to iRs. The response of the
CVR can be extended to lower frequencies by the inclusion of a ferromagnetic material such as
ferrite in the toroidal chamber. The principle of operation of the ferrite-filled probe will be clear
when we study inductive linear accelerators in the next chapter.
The magnetic pickup loop measures the magnetic field associated with current flow. It consists of
a loop normal to the magnetic field of area A with N turns. If the signal from the loop is passed
through a passive integrator with time constant RC, then the magnetic field is related to the
integrator output voltage by
Vs NAB/RC. (9.120)
Current can be inferred if the geometry is known. For instance, if the current is carried by the
center conductor of a transmission line or a cylindrically symmetric beam on axis, the magnetic
field at a probe located a distance r from the axis is given by Eq. (4.40). The loop is oriented to
sense toroidal magnetic fields.
The net current of a beam can be determined even if the beam moves off axis by adding the
signals of a number of loops at different azimuthal positions. Figure 9.57 shows a simple circuit to
add and integrate the signals from a number of loops. Magnetic pickup loops at diametrically
opposite positions can detect beam motion off-axis along the diameter. In this case, the loop
signals are subtracted to determine the difference signal. This is accomplished by rotating one of
the loops 180- and adding the signals in the circuit of Figure 9.57.
The high-frequency response of a magnetic pickup loop is determined by the time it takes
magnetic fields to fill the loop. The loop is diamagnetic; currents induced by changing flux produce
a counterflux. The response time for a loop with inductance L and a series resistance R is L/R. The
resistance is usually the input impedance of a transmission line connected to a loop. Sensitive
magnetic pickup loops with many turns generally have slow time response.
The magnetic pickup loop has a useful application in pulsed -voltage systems when the voltage
diagnostic cannot be attached at the load. For instance, in driving a high-current electron extractor
with a transmission line modulator, it may be necessary to measure voltage in the line rather than at
the vacuum load. If there is inductance L between the measurement point and the acceleration gap,
278
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The quantity V0 is the voltage at the measurement point and Vg is, the desired voltage. A useful
measurement can often be achieved by adding an inductive correction to the signal voltage. An
unintegrated magnetic pickup loop signal (proportional to -di/dt) is added to the uncorrected
voltage through a variable attenuator. The attenuator is adjusted for zero signal when the
modulator drives a shorted load. The technique is not reliable for time scales comparable to or less
than the electromagnetic transit time between the measurement point and the load. A transmission
line analysis must be used to infer high-frequency correction for the voltage signal.
F. Rogowski Loop
The final current diagnostic we will study is the Rogowski loop (Fig. 9.58). It is a multi-turn
toroidal inductor that encircles the current to be measured. When the dimension of the loops is
small compared to the major radius, Eq. (4.39) implies that the net flux linking the series of loops
does not depend on the position of the measured current inside the loop. Adopting this
approximation, we assume the magnetic field is constant over the cross-sectional area of the
windings and approximate the windings as a straight solenoid.
279
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The quantity B(t) is the magnetic field produced by the measured current and Bi(t) is the total
magnetic field inside the loop. The loop has N windings and a series resistance R at the output. The
current flowing in the loop circuit is the total loop voltage divided by R or
NA (dBi/dt)
i(t) . (9.122)
R
The field inside the loop is the applied field minus the diamagnetic field associated with the loop
current or
B i(t) B(t) µ o i(t) (N/2πρ). (9.123)
The second form is derived by substituting the expression for the inductance of a toroidal winding,
Eq. (9.18). In the limit that the time scale for variations of the measured current I is short
compared to L/R, the first term on the left-hand side is large compared to the second term. In this
limit very little of the magnetic field generated by the current to be measured penetrates into the
winding. Dropping the second term and substituting Eqs. (9.122) and (4.40), we find that
280
Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
i I/N, (9.125)
1. The output signal is unaffected by the distribution of current encircled by the loop.
2. The Rogowski loop is a self-integrating current monitor for time scales ∆t « L/R.
The low-frequency response of the Rogowski loop can be extended by increasing the winding
inductance at the expense of reduced signal. The inductance is increased a factor µ/µ o by winding
the loop on a ferrite torus. In this case, Eq. (9.125) becomes
I
i . (9.126)
N (µ/µ o)
G. Electro-optical Diagnostics
The diagnostics we have considered are basic devices that are incorporated on almost all pulsed
voltage systems. There has been considerable recent interest in the use, of electro-optical
techniques to measure rapidly varying electric and magnetic fields. The main reason is the
increasing, use of digital data acquisition systems. Optical connections isolate sensitive computers
from electromagnetic noise, a particular problem for pulsed voltage systems.
A diagnostic for measuring magnetic fields is illustrated in Figure 9.59. Linearly polarized light
from a laser is directed through a single-mode, fiber-optic cable. The linearly polarized light wave
can be resolved into two circularly polarized waves. A magnetic field parallel to the cable affects
the rotational motion of electrons in the cable medium. The consequence is that the index of
refraction for right and left circularly polarized waves is different. There is a phase difference
between the waves at the end of the cable. The phase difference is proportional to the strength of
the magnetic field integrated along the length of the cable, B(dl . When the waves are
recombined, the direction of the resulting linearly polarizedmwave is rotated with respect to the
initial wave. This effect is called Faraday rotation. The technique can be used for current
diagnostics by winding one or more turns of the fiber-optic cable around the measured current
path. Equation (4.39) implies that the rotation angle is proportional to the current. Electric fields
can be sensed through the Kerr effect or the Pockels effect in an optical medium. Interferometric
techniques are used to measure changes in the index of refraction of the medium induced by the
fields.
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Electrostatic Accelerators and Pulsed High Voltage
The main drawbacks of electro-optical diagnostics techniques is the cost of the equipment and the
complex analyses necessary to unfold the data. In the case of the Faraday rotation measurement,
bifringence in ordinary fiber-optic materials complicates the interpretation of the rotation, and
extensive computations must be performed to determine the measured current. Electro-optical
devices have some unique applications that justify the additional effort, such as the direct
measurement of intense propagating microwave fields.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
10
Linear Induction Accelerators
The maximum beam energy achievable with electrostatic accelerators is in the range of 10 to 30
MeV. In order to produce higher-energy beams, the electric fields associated with changing
magnetic flux must be used. In many high-energy accelerators, the field geometry is such that
inductive fields cancel electrostatic fields over most the accelerator except the beamline. The
beam senses a large net accelerating field, while electrostatic potential differences in the
accelerating structure are kept to manageable levels. This process is called inductive isolation.
The concept is the basis of linear induction accelerators [N. C. Christofilos et. al., Rev. Sci.
Instrum. 35, 886 (1964)]. The main application of linear induction accelerators has been the
generation of pulsed high-current electron beams.
I n this chapter and the next we shall study the two major types of nonresonant, high-energy
accelerators, the linear induction accelerator and the betatron. The principle of energy transfer
from pulse modulator to beam is identical for the two accelerators; they differ mainly in geometry
and methods of particle transport. The linear induction accelerator and betatron have the
following features in common:
4. They are both equivalent to a step-up transformer with the beam acting as the
secondary.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
In the linear induction accelerator, the beam is a single turn secondary with multiple parallel
primary inputs from high-voltage modulators. In the betatron, there is usually one pulsed-power
primary input. The beam acts as a multi-turn secondary because it is wrapped in a circle.
The linear induction accelerator is treated first since operation of the induction cavity is
relatively easy to understand. Section 10.1 describes the simplest form of inductive cavity with an
ideal ferromagnetic isolator. Section 10.2 deals with the problems involved in designing isolation
cores for short voltage pulses. The limitations of available ferromagnetic materials must be
understood in order to build efficient accelerators with good voltage waveform. Section 10.3
describes more complex cavity geometries. The main purpose is to achieve voltage step-up in a
single cavity. Deviations from ideal behavior in induction cavities are described in Sections 10.4
and 10.5. Subjects include flux forcing to minimize unequal saturation in cores, core reset for
maximum flux swing, and compensation circuits to achieve uniform accelerating voltage. Section
10.6 derives the electric field in a complex induction cavity. The goal is to arrive at a physical
understanding of the distribution of electrostatic and inductive fields to determine insulation
requirements. Limitations on the average longitudinal gradient of an induction accelerator are also
reviewed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of induction accelerations without
ferromagnetic cores. Although these accelerators are of limited practical use, they make an
interesting study in the application of transmission line principles.
We can understand the principle of an induction cavity by proceeding stepwise from the
electrostatic accelerator. A schematic of a pulsed electrostatic acceleration gap is shown in Figure
10.1a. A modulator supplies a voltage pulse of magnitude V0. The pulse is conveyed to the
acceleration gap through one or more high-voltage transmission lines. If the beam particles have
positive charge (+q), the transmission lines carry voltage to elevate the particle source to positive
potential. The particles are extracted at ground potential with kinetic energy qV0. The energy
transfer efficiency is optimized when the characteristic impedance of the generator and the parallel
impedance of the transmission lines equals V0/I. The quantity I is the constant-beam current. Note
the current path in Figure 10.1a. Current flows from the modulator, along the transmission line
center-conductors, through the beam load on axis, and returns through the transmission line
ground conductor.
A major problem in electrostatic accelerators is controlling and supplying power to the particle
source. The source and its associated power supplies are at high potential with respect to the
laboratory. It is more convenient to keep both the source and the extracted beam at ground
potential. To accomplish this, consider adding a conducting cylinder between the high-voltage and
ground plates to define a toroidal cavity (Fig. 10.1h). The source and extraction point are at the
same potential, but the system is difficult to operate because the transmission line output is almost
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Linear Induction Accelerators
short-circuited. Most of the current flows around the outer ground shield; this contribution is
leakage current. There is a small voltage across the acceleration gap because the toroidal cavity
has an inductance L1. The leakage inductance is given by Eq. (9.15) if we take Ri as the radius of
the power feeds and Ro as the radius of the cylinder. Thus, a small fraction of the total current
flows in the load. The goal is clearly to reduce the leakage current compared to the load current;
the solution is to increase L1.
In the final configuration (Fig. 10.1c), the toroidal volume occupied by magnetic field from
leakage current is filled with ferromagnetic material. If we approximate the ferromagnetic torus as
an ideal inductor, the leakage inductance is increased by a factor µ/µ o. This factor may exceed
1000. The leakage current is greatly reduced, so that most of the circuit current flows in the load.
At constant voltage, the cavity appears almost as a resistive load to the pulse modulator. The
voltage waveform is approximately a square pulse of magnitude V0 with some voltage droop
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Linear Induction Accelerators
caused by the linearly growing leakage current. The equivalent circuit model of the induction
cavity is shown in Figure 10.2a; it is identical to the equivalent circuit of a 1:1 transformer (Fig.
9.7).
The geometry of Figure 10.1c is the simplest possible inductive linear accelerator cavity. A
complete understanding of the geometry will clarify the operation of more complex cavities.
1. The load current does not encircle the ferromagnetic core. This means that the integral H@dl
m the
from load current is zero through the core. In other words, there is little interaction between
load current and the core. The properties of the core set no limitation on the amount of beam
current that can be accelerated.
2. To an external observer, both the particle source and the extraction point appear to be at
ground potential during the voltage pulse. Nonetheless, particles emerge from the cavity with
kinetic energy gain qV0.
4.There is an electrostaticlike voltage across the acceleration gap. Electric fields in the gap are
identical to those we have derived for the electrostatic accelerator of Figure 10.1a. The inductive
core introduces no novel accelerating field components.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
5. Changing magnetic flux generates inductive electric fields in the core. The inductive field at the
outer radius of the core is equal and opposite to the electrostatic field; therefore, there is no net
electric field between the plates at the outer radius, consistent with the fact that they are
connected by a conducting cylinder. The ferromagnetic core provides inductive isolation for the
cavity.
When voltage is applied to the cavity, the leakage current is small until the ferromagnetic core
becomes saturated. After saturation, the differential magnetic permeability approaches µ o and the
cavity becomes a low-inductance load. The product of voltage and time is limited. We have seen a
similar constraint in the transformer [Eq. (9.29)]. If the voltage pulse has constant magnitude V0
and duration tp, then
V0 tp ∆B Ac. (10.1)
where Ac is the cross-sectional area of the core. The quantity ∆B is the change of magnetic field in
the core; it must be less than 2Bs. Typical operating parameters for an induction cavity with a
ferrite core are V0 = 250 kV and tp = 50 ns. Ferrites typically have a saturation field of 0.2-0.3 T.
Therefore, the core must have a cross-sectional area greater than 0.025 m2.
The most common configuration for an inductive linear accelerator is shown in Figure 10.3. The
beam passes through a series of individual cavities. There is no electrostatic voltage difference in
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Linear Induction Accelerators
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Linear Induction Accelerators
289
Linear Induction Accelerators
290
Linear Induction Accelerators
the system higher than V0. Any final beam energy consistent with cost and successful beam
transport can be attained by adding more cavities. The equivalent circuit of an induction
accelerator is shown in Figure 10.2b. Characteristics of the ATA machine, the highest energy
induction accelerator constructed to data, are summarized in Table 10.1. A single-acceleration
cavity and a 10-cavity block of the ATA accelerator are illustrated in Figures 10.4a and 10.4b,
respectively.
We have seen in Section 5.3 that ferromagnetic materials have atomic currents that align
themselves with applied fields. The magnetic field is amplified inside the material. The alignment
of atomic currents is equivalent to a macroscopic current that flows on the surface of the material.
When changes in applied field are slow, atomic currents are the dominant currents in the material.
In this case, the magnetic response of the material follows the static hysteresis curve (Fig. 5.12).
Voltage pulselengths in linear induction accelerators are short. We must include effects arising
from the fact that most ferromagnetic materials are conductors. Inductive electric fields can
generate real currents; real currents differ from atomic currents in that electrons move through the
material. Real current driven by changes of magnetic flux is called eddy current. The contribution
of eddy currents must be taken into account to determine the total magnetic fields in materials. In
ferromagetic materials, eddy current may prevent penetration of applied magnetic field so that
magnetic moments in inner regions are not aligned. In this case, the response of the material
deviates from the static hysteresis curve. Another problem is that resistive losses are associated
with eddy currents. Depending on the the type of material and geometry of construction, magnetic
cores have a maximum usable frequency. At higher frequencies, resistive losses increase and the
effective core inductance drops.
Eddy currents in inductive isolators and transformer cores are minimized by laminated core
construction. Thin sheets of steel are separated by insulators. Most common ac cores are designed
to operate at 60 Hz. In contrast, the maximum-frequency components in inductive accelerator
pulses range from 1 to 100 MHz. Therefore, core design is critical for fast pulses. The frequency
response is extended either by using very thin laminations or using alternatives to steel, such as
ferrites.
The skin depth is a measure of the distance magnetic fields penetrate into materials as a function
of frequency. We can estimate the skin depth in ferromagnetic materials in the geometry of
Figure 10.5. A lamination of high µ material with infinite axial extent is surrounded by a pulse
coil excited by a step-function current waveform. The coil carries an applied current per length Jo
(A/m) for t > 0. The applied magnetic field outside the high µ material is
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Linear Induction Accelerators
B1 µ o J o. (10.2)
A real return current Jr flows in the conducting sample in the opposite direction from the applied
current. We assume this current flows in an active layer on the surface of the material of thickness
δ. The magnetic field decreases across this layer and approaches zero inside the material. The
total magnetic field as a function of depth in the material follows the variation of Figure 10.5. The
return current is distributed through the active layer, while the atomic currents are concentrated at
the layer surfaces. The atomic current Ja is the result of aligned dipoles in the region of applied
magnetic field penetration; it amplifies the field in the active layer by a factor of µ/µ o. The field
just inside the material surface is (µ/µ o)B1. The magnetic field inward from the active layer is zero
because the return current cancels the field produced by the applied currents. This implies that
Jr . Jo. (10.3)
We can estimate the skin depth by making a global balance between resistive effects (which
impede the return current) and inductive effects (which drive the return current). The active, layer
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Linear Induction Accelerators
is assumed to penetrate a small distance into the lamination. The lamination has circumference C.
If the material is an imperfect conductor with volume resistivity ρ (Ω-m), the resistive voltage
around the circumference from the flow of real current is
Vr JrρC/δ. (10.4)
The return current is driven by an electromotive force (emf) equal and opposite to Vr. The emf is
equal to the rate of change of flux enclosed within a loop at the location under consideration.
Because the peak magnetic field (µ/µ o)B1 is limited, the change of enclosed flux must come about
from the motion of the active layer into the material. If the layer moves inward a distance δ, then
the change of flux inside a circumferential loop is ∆Φ (µ/µ o)B1Cδ . Taking the time derivative
and using Eq. (4.42), we find the inductive voltage
Vi µCJr (dδ/dt).
The circumference cancels out. The solution of Equation (10.5) gives the skin depth
δ 2ρt/µ. (10.6)
The magnetic field moves into the material a distance proportional to the square root of time if the
applied field is a step function. A more familiar expression for the skin depth holds when the
applied field is harmonic, B1 - cos(ωt) :
δ 2ρ/µ ω (10.7)
In this case, the depth of the layer is constant; the driving emf is generated by the time variation of
magnetic field.
The two materials commonly used in pulse cores are ferrites and steel. The materials differ
mainly in their volume resistivity. Ferrites are ceramic compounds of iron-bearing materials with
volume resistivity on the order of 104 Ω-m. Silicon steel is the most common transformer
material. It is magnetically soft; the area of its hysteresis loop is small, minimizing hysteresis
losses. Silicon steel has a relatively high resistivity compared to other steels, 45 × 10-8 Ω-m.
Nickel steel has a higher resistivity, but it is expensive. Recently, noncrystalline iron compounds
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Linear Induction Accelerators
have been developed. They are known by the tradename Metglas [Allied Corporation]. Metglas is
produced in thin ribbons by injecting molten iron compounds onto a cooled, rapidly rotating
drum. The rapid cooling prevents the formation of crystal structures. Metglas alloy 2605SC has a
volume resistivity of 125 × 10-8 Ω-m. Typical small-signal skin depths for silicon steel and ferrites
as a function of applied field duration are plotted in Figure 10.6. There is a large difference
between the materials; this difference is reflected in the construction of cores and the analysis of
time-dependent effects.
An understanding of the time-dependent response of ferromagnetic materials is necessary to
determine leakage currents in induction linear accelerators. The leakage current affects the
efficiency of the accelerator and determines the compensation circuits necessary for waveform
shaping. We begin with ferrites. In a typical ferrite isolated accelerator, the pulselength is 30-80 ns
and the core dimension is < 0.5 m. Reference to Figure 10.6 shows that the skin depth is larger
than the core; therefore, to first approximation, we can neglect eddy currents and consider only
the time variation of atomic currents. A typical geometry for a ferrite core accelerator cavity is
shown in Figure 10.7. The toroidal ferrite cores are contained between two cylinders of radii Ri
and Ro. The leakage current circuit approximates a coaxial transmission line filled with high µ
material. The transmission line has length d; it is shorted at the end opposite the pulsed power
input. We shall analyze the transmission line behavior of the leakage current circuit with the
assumption that (RoRi)/R o « 1 . Radial variations of toroidal magnetic field in the cores are
neglected.
The transmission line of length d has impedance Zc given by Eq. (9.86) and a relatively long
transit time δt d εµ . Consider, first, application of a low-voltage step-function pulse. A
voltage wave from a low-impedance generator of magnitude V0 travels through the core at
velocity c/ (ε/εo)(µ/µ o) carrying current V0/Zc. The wave is reflected at time ∆t with inverse
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Linear Induction Accelerators
polarity from the short-circuit termination. The inverted wave arrives back at the input at time
2∆t. In order to match the input voltage, two voltage waves, each carrying current V0/Zc are
launched on the line. The net leakage current during the interval 2∆t # t # 4∆t is 3V0/Zc.
Subsequent wave reflections result in the leakage current variation illustrated in Figure 10.8a. The
dashed line in the figure shows the current corresponding to an ideal lumped inductor with L =
Zc∆t. The core approximates a lumped inductor in the limit of low voltage and long pulselength.
The leakage current diverges when it reaches the value is 2πRiH s . The quantity Hs is the
saturation magnetizing force.
Next, suppose that the voltage is raised to Vs so that the current during the initial wave transit is
i Vs/Zc is 2πRiH s. (10.8)
The wave travels through the core at the same velocity as before. The main difference is that the
magnetic material behind the wavefront is saturated. When the wave reaches the termination at
time ∆t, the entire core is saturated. Subsequently, the leakage circuit acts as a vacuum
transmission line. The quantities Zc and ∆t decrease by a factor of µ/µ o, and the current increases
rapidly as inverted waves reflect from the short circuit. The leakage current for this case is plotted
in Figure 10.8b. The volt-second product before saturation again satisfies Eq. (10.1).
At higher applied voltage, electromagnetic disturbances propagate into the core as a saturation
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Linear Induction Accelerators
wave. The wave velocity is controlled by the saturation of magnetic material in the region of
rising current; the saturation wave moves more rapidly than the speed of electromagnetic pulses in
the high µ medium. When V0 > Vs conservation of the volt-second product implies that the time T
for the saturation wave to propagate through the core is related to the small-signal propagation
time by
T/∆t Vs/V0. (10.9)
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Linear Induction Accelerators
The transmission line is charged to voltage V0 at time T; therefore, a charge CV0 flowed into the
leakage circuit where C is the total capacitance of the circuit. The magnitude of the leakage
current accompanying the saturation wave is thus i CV0/T , or
i i s (V0/Vs). (10.10)
The leakage, current exceeds the value given in Eq. (10.8). Leakage current variation in the
high-voltage limit is illustrated in Figure 10.8c.
In contrast to ferrites, the skin depth in steel or Metglas is much smaller than the dimension of
the core. The core must therefore be divided into small sections so that the magnetic field
penetrates the material. This is accomplished by laminated construction. Thin metal ribbon is
wound on a cylindrical mandrel with an intermediate layer of insulation. The result is a toroidal
core (Fig. 10.9). In subsequent analysees, we assume that the core is composed of nested
cylinders and that there is no radial conduction of real current. In actuality, some current flows
from the inside to the outside along the single ribbon. This current is very small because the path
has a huge inductance. A laminated pulse core may contain thousands of turns.
Laminated steel cores are effective for pulses in the microsecond range. In the limit that
(RoRi)/R o « 1 , the applied magnetic field is the same at each lamination. The loop voltage
around a lamination is thus V0/N, where N is the number of layers. In an actual toroidal core, the
applied field is proportional to l/r so that lamination voltage is distributed unevenly; we will
consider the consequences of flux variation in Section 10.4.
If the thickness of the lamination is less than the skin depth associated with the pulselength, then
magnetic flux is distributed uniformly through a lamination. Even in this limit, it is difficult to
calculate the inductance exactly because the magnetic permeability varies as the core field changes
from -Br to Bs. For a first-order estimate of the leakage current, we assume an average
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Linear Induction Accelerators
The behavior of laminated cores is complex for high applied voltage and short pulselength. When
the skin depth is less than half the lamination thickness, magnetic field penetrates in a saturation
wave (Fig. 10.10a). There is an active layer with large flux change from atomic current alignment.
There is a region behind the active layer of saturated magnetic material; the skin depth for field
penetration is large in this region because µ µ o . Changes in the applied field are communicated
rapidly through the saturated region. The active layer moves inward, and the saturation wave
converges at the center at a time equal to the volt-second product of the lamination divided by
V0/N.
Although the volt-second product is conserved in the saturation wave regime, the inductance of
the core is reduced below the value given by Eq. (10.11). This comes about because only a
fraction of the lamination cross-sectional area contributes to flux change at a particular time. The
core inductance is reduced by a factor on the order of the width of the active area divided by
the half-width of the lamination. Accelerator efficiency is reduced because of increased leakage
current and eddy current core heating. Leakage current in the saturation wave regime is illustrated
in Figure 10.10b.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
Core material and lamination thickness should be chosen so that skin depth is greater than half
the thickness of the lamination. If this is impossible, the severity of leakage current effects can
best be estimated by experimental modeling. Saturation wave analyses seldom give an accurate
figure for leakage current. Measurements for a single lamination are simple; a loop around the
lamination is driven with a pulse of voltage V0/N and pulselength equal to that of the accelerator.
The most reliable method to include the effects of radial field variations is to perform
measurements on a full-radius core segment.
Properties of common magnetic materials are listed in Table 10.2. Ferrite cores have the
capability for fast response; they are the only materials suitable for the 10-50 ns regime. The main
disadvantages of ferrites are that they are expensive and that they have a relatively small available
flux swing. This implies large core volumes for a given volt-second product.
Silicon steel is inexpensive and has a large magnetic field change, -3 T. On the other hand, it is
a brittle material and cannot be wound in thicknesses < 2 mil (5 × 10-3 cm). Reference to Figure
10.6 shows that silicon steel cores are useful only for pulselengths greater than 1 µs. There has
been considerable recent interest in Metglas for induction accelerator cores. Metglas has a larger
volume resistivity than silicon steel. Because of the method of its production, it is available in
uniform thin ribbons. It has a field change about equal to silicon steel, and it is expected to be
fairly inexpensive. Most important, because it is noncrystalline, it is not brittle and can be wound
into cores in ribbons as thin as 0.7 mil (1.8 × 10-3 cm). It is possible to construct Metglas cores for
short voltage pulses. If there is high load current and leakage current is not a primary concern,
Metglas cores can be used for pulses in the 50-ns range.
The distribution of electric field in isolation cores must be known to determine insulation
requirements. Electric fields have a simple form in laminated steel cores. Consider the core in the
cavity geometry of Figure 10.11 with radial variations of applied field neglected. We know that
there is a voltage V0 between the inner and outer cylinders at the input end (marked α) and there is
zero voltage difference on the right-hand side (marked β) because of the connecting radial
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Linear Induction Accelerators
conductor. Furthermore, the laminated core has zero conductivity in the radial direction but has
high conductivity in the axial direction. Image charge is distributed on the laminations to assure
that Ez equals zero along the surfaces. Therefore, the electric field is almost purely radial in the
core. This implies that:
1. Except for small fringing fields, the electric field is radial along the input edge (α). The voltage
drop across each insulating layer on the edge is V0/N.
2. Moving into the core, inductive electric fields cancel the electrostatic fields. The net voltage
drop across the insulating layers decreases linearly to zero moving from α to β.
Figure 10.11 shows voltage levels in the core relative to the outer conductor. Note that this is not
an electrostatic plot; therefore, the equal voltage lines in the core are not normal to the electric
fields.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
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Linear Induction Accelerators
pulses to generate a 2.5-W pulse across an injection gap. Figure 10.12 illustrates longitudinal
core stacking.
A schematic view of a 4:1 step-up circuit with longitudinal stacking is shown in Figure 10.12b.
Note that if electrodes are inserted at the positions of the dotted lines, the single gap of Figure
10.12b is identical to a four-gap linear induction accelerator. The electrodes carry no current, so
that the circuit is unchanged by their presence. We assume that the four input transmission lines
of characteristic impedance Z0 carry pulses with voltage V0 and current I0 V0/Z0 . A single
modulator to drive the four lines must have an impedance 4Z0. The high core inductance
constrains the net current through the axis of each core to be approximately zero. Therefore, the
beam current for a matched circuit is I0. The voltage across the acceleration gap is 4V0. The
matched load impedance is therefore 4Z0. This is a factor of 16 higher than the primary
impedance, as we expect for a 4:1 step-up transformer.
It is also possible to construct voltage step-up cavities with radial core stacking, as shown in
Figure 10.13. It is more difficult to understand the power flow in this geometry. For clarity, we
will proceed one step at a time, evolving from the basic configuration of Figure 10.1c to a
dual-core cavity. We assume the beam load is driven by matched transmission lines. There are two
main constraints if the leakage circuits have infinite impedance: (1) all the current in the system
must be accounted for and (2) there is no net axial current through the centers of either of the
cores.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
Figure 10.13a shows a cavity with one core and one input transmission line. The difference from
Figure 10.lc is that the line enters radially; this feature does not affect the behavior of the cavity.
Note the current path; the two constraints are satisfied. In Figure 10.13b, the power lead is
wrapped around the core and connected back to the input side of the inductive cavity. The
current cannot flow outward along the wall of the cavity and return immediately along the
transmission line outer conductor; this path has high inductance. Rather, the current follows the
convoluted path shown, flowing through the on-axis load before returning along the ground lead
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Linear Induction Accelerators
of the transmission line. Although the circuit of Figure 10.13b has a more complex current path
and higher parasitic inductance than that of Figure 10.12a, the net behavior is the same.
The third step is to add an additional core and an additional transmission line with power feed
wrapped around the core. The voltage on the gap is 2V0 and the load current is equal to that from
one line. Current flow from the two lines is indicated. The current paths are rather complex;
current from the first transmission line flows around the inner core, along the cavity wall, and
returns through the ground conductor of the second tine. The current from the second line flows
around the cavity, through the load, back along the cavity wall, and returns through the ground
lead of the first line. The cavity of Figure 10.13c conserves current and energy. Furthermore,
inspection of the current paths shows that the net current through the centers of both cores is
zero. An alternative configuration that has been used in accelerators with radially stacked cores is
shown in Figure 10.13d. Both cores are driven by a single-input transmission line of impedance
V0/2I0.
In our discussions of laminated inductive isolation cores, we assumed that the applied magnetic
field is the same at all laminae. This is not true in toroidal cores where the magnetic field
decreases with radius. Three problems arise from this effect:
1. Electric fields are distributed unevenly among the insulation layers. They are highest at the
center of the core.
2. The inner layers reach saturation before the end of the voltage pulse. There is a global
saturation wave in the core; the region of saturation grows outward. The result is that the
magnetically active area of the core decreases following saturation of the inner lamination. The
inductance of the isolation circuit drops at the end of the pulse.
3. During the saturation wave, the circuit voltage is supported by the remaining unsaturated
laminations. The field stress is highly nonuniform so that insulation breakdowns may occur.
The first problem can be addressed by using thicker insulation near the core center. The second
and third problems are more troublesome, especially in accelerators with radially stacked cores.
The effects of unequal saturation on the leakage current and cavity voltage are illustrated in
Figure 10.14. The leakage current grows non-linearly during the latter portion of the pulse making
compensation (Section 10.5) difficult. The tail end of the voltage pulse droops. Although the
quantity Vdt is conserved, the waveform of Figure 10.14 may be useless for acceleration if a
small beamm energy spread is required.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
The problem of unequal saturation could be solved by using a large core to avoid saturation of
the inner laminations. This approach is undesirable because core utilization is inefficient. The core
volume and cost increase and the average accelerating gradient drops (see Section 10.7). Ideally,
the core and cavity should be designed so that the entire volume of the core reaches saturation
simultaneously at the end of the voltage pulse. This condition can be approached through flux
forcing.
Flux forcing was originally developed to equalize saturation in large betatron cores. We will
illustrate the process in a two-core radially stacked induction accelerator cavity. In Figure 10.15a,
two open conducting loops encircle the cores. There is an applied voltage pulse of magnitude V0.
The voltage between the terminals of the outer loop is smaller than that of the inner loop because
the enclosed magnetic flux change is less. The sum of the voltages equals V0 with polarities as
shown in the figure. In Figure 10.14b, the ends of the loops are connected together to form a
single figure-8 winding. If the net enclosed magnetic flux in the outer loop were smaller than that
of the inner loop, a high current would flow in the winding. Therefore, we conclude that a
moderate current is induced in the winding that equalizes the magnetic flux enclosed by the two
loops.
The figure-8 winding is called a flux-forcing strap. The distribution of current is illustrated in
Figure 10.15c. The inner loop of the flux-forcing strap reduces the magnetic flux in the inner core,
while the outer loop current adds flux at the outer core. If both cores in Figure 10.15 have the
same cross-sectional area, they reach saturation at the same time because dΦ/dt is the same
inside both loops. Of course, local saturation can still occur in a single core. Nonetheless, the
severity of saturation is reduced for two reasons:
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Linear Induction Accelerators
1. The ratio of the inner to outer radius is closer to unity for a single core section than for the
entire stack.
2. Even if there is early saturation at the inside of the inner core, the drop in leakage circuit
inductance is averaged over the stack.
Figure 10.16 illustrates an induction cavity with four core sections. The cavity was designed to
achieve a high average longitudinal gradient in a long pulse linear induction accelerator. A
large-diameter core stack was used for high cross-sectional area. There are two interesting
aspects of the cavity:
1. The cores are driven in parallel from a single-pulse modulator. There is a voltage step-up by a
factor of 4.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
2. The parallel drive configuration assures that the loop voltage around each core is the same;
therefore, the current distribution in the driving loops provides automatic flux forcing.
Following a voltage pulse, the ferromagnetic core of an inductive accelerator has magnetic flux
equal to +Br. The core must be reset to -Br before the next pulse; otherwise, the cavity will be
short-circuited soon after the voltage is applied.
Reverse biasing of the core is accomplished with a reset circuit. The reset circuit must have the
following characteristics:
1. The circuit can generate an inverse voltage-time product greater than (BsBr) A c .
2. It can supply a unidirectional reverse current through the core axis of magnitude
Is > 2πRoHs. (10.13)
The quantity Hs is the magnetizing force of the core material and Ro is the outercore radius.
Higher currents are required for fast-pulsed reset.
3. The reset circuit has high voltage isolation so that it does not absorb power during the primary
pulse.
A long pulse induction cavity with reset circuit is shown in Figure 10.17. Note that a damping
resistor in parallel with the beam load is included in the cavity. Damping resistors are
incorporated in most induction accelerators. Their purpose is to prevent overvoltage if there is an
error in beam arrival time. Some of the available modulator energy is lost in the damping resistor.
Induction cavities have typical energy utilization efficiencies of 20-50%.
Reset is performed by an RC circuit connected to the cavity through a mechanical high-voltage
relay. The relay acts as an isolator and a switch. The reset capacitor Cr is charged to voltage -Vr;
the reset resistance Rr is small compared to the damping resistor Rd. There is an inductance Lr
associated with the flow of reset current. Neglecting Lr and the current through the leakage
circuit, the first condition above is satisfied if
Vr exp(t/RdCr) dt > (BsB r) Ac. (10.14)
m
If the inequality of Eq. (10.14) is well satisfied, the second condition is fulfilled if
Vr/Rd > Is. (10.15)
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Linear Induction Accelerators
Equation (10.15) implies that the reset resistance should be as low as possible. There is a
minimum value of Rr that comes about when the effect of the inductance Lr is included. Without
the resistance, the circuit is underdamped; the reset voltage oscillates. The behavior of the LC
circuit with saturable core inductor is complex; depending on the magnetic flux in the core
following the voltage pulse and the charge voltage on the reset circuit, the core may remain with
flux anywhere between +Br and -Br after the reset. Thus, it is important to ensure that reset
current flows only in the proper direction. The optimum choice of Rr leads to a critically damped
reset circuit:
Rs $>2 L r/Cr, (10.16)
when Eq. (10.16) is satisfied, the circuit generates a unidirectional pulse with maximum output
current.
The following example illustrates typical parameters for an induction cavity and reset circuit. An
induction linear accelerator cavity supports a 100-kV, 1-µs pulse. The beam current is 2 kA. The
laniinated core is constructed of 2-mil silicon steel ribbon. The skin depth for the pulselength in
silicon steel is about 0.33 mil. The core is therefore in the saturation wave regime. The available
flux change in the laminations is 2.6 T. The radially sectioned core has a length of 8 in. (0.205 m).
We assume about 30% of the volume of the isolation cavity is occupied by insulation and power
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Linear Induction Accelerators
straps. Taking into account the required volt-second product, the area of the core assembly is
Ac (105 V)(106 s)/(0.7)(2.6 T) 0.055 m 2.
If the inner radius of the core assembly is 6 in. (0.154 m), then the outer radius must be 16.4 in.
(0.42 m). These parameters illustrate two features of long-pulse induction accelerators: (1) there
is a large difference between Ro and Ri so that flux forcing must be used for a good impedance
match, and (2) the cores are large. The mass of the core assembly in this example (excluding
insulation) is 544 kG. The beam impedance is 50 Ω. Assume that the damping resistor is 25 Ω and
the charge voltage on the reset circuit is 1000 V. Equation (10.14) implies that
We choose C, = 10 µF; the core is reverse saturated 120 µs after closing the isolation relay. The
capacitor voltage at this time is 670 V. Referring to the hysteresis curve of Figure 5.13, the
required reset current is 670 A. This implies that Rd < 1 Ω. Assuming that the parasitic inductance
of the reset circuit is about 1 µH, the resistance for a critically damped circuit is 0.632 Ω;
therefore, the reset circuit is overdamped, as required.
A convenient method of core reset is possible for short-pulse induction cavities driven by
pulse-charged Blumlein line modulators. In the system of Figure 10.18a, a Marx generator is used
to charge an oil- or water-filled Blumlein line. The Blumlein line provides a flat-top voltage pulse
to a ferrite or Metglas core cavity. A gas-filled spark gap shorts the intermediate conductor to the
outer conductor to initiate the pulse. In this configuration, the intermediate conductor is charged
negative for a positive output pulse. The crux of the auto-reset process is to use the negative
current flowing from the center conductor of the Blumlein line during the pulse-charge cycle to
reset the core. Reset occurs just before the main voltage pulse. Auto-reset eliminates the need for
a separate reset circuit and high-voltage isolator. A further advantage is that the core can be
driven to -Bs just before the pulse.
Figure 10.18b shows the main circuit components. The impulse generator has capacitance Cg
and inductance Lg. It has an open circuit voltage of -V0. If the charge cycle is long compared to an
electromagnetic transit time, the inner and outer parts of the Blumlein line can be treated as
lumped capacitors of value C1. The outer conductor is grounded; the inner conductor is connected
to ground through the induction cavity. We assume there is a damping resistor Rd that shunts
some of the reset current. We will estimate Vc(t) (the negative voltage on the core during the
charge cycle) and determine if the quantity Vcdt exceeds the volt-second product of the core.
Assume that Vc(t) is small compared to them voltage on the intermediate conductor. In this case,
the voltage on the intermediate conductor is approximated by Eq. (9.102) with C2 = 2C1.
Assuming that Cg = 2C1 the voltage on the intermediate conductor is
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Linear Induction Accelerators
where ω 1/ LgC1 .The charging current to the cavity is ic C1 (dV2/dt) . Assuming most of
this current flows through the damping resistor, the reset voltage on the core during the Blumlein
line charge is
Vc (V0/2) (Rd / L/C1) sinωt. (10.18)
If the Blumlein is triggered at the time of completed energy transfer, t π/ω , then the
volt-second integral during the charge phase is
VC dt V0 (C1Rd). (10.19)
m
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Linear Induction Accelerators
The integral of Eq. (10.19) must exceed the volt-second product of the core for successful
reset. This criterion can be written in a convenient form in terms of ∆tp, the length of the main
voltage pulse in the cavity. Assuming a square pulse of magnitude V0, the volt-second product of
the core should be V0∆tp . Substituting this expression in Eq. (10.19) gives the following
condition:
∆t p # C1Rd. (10.20)
Furthermore, we can use Eq. (9.89) to find the pulselength in terms of the line capacitance.
Equation (10.20) reduces to the following simple criterion for auto-reset:
Z1 # R d. (10.21)
The quantity Z1 is the net output impedance of the Blumlein line, equal to twice the impedance of
the component transmission lines. Clearly, Eq. (10.21) is always satisfied.
In summary, auto-reset always occurs during the charge cycle if (1) the Marx generator is
matched to the Blumlein line, (2) the core volt-second product is matched to the output voltage
pulse, and (3) the Blumlein line impedance is matched to the combination of beam and damping
resistor. Reset occurs earlier in the charge cycle as Rd is increased. The condition of Eq. (10.21)
holds only for the simple circuit of Figure 10.18. More complex cases may occur; for instance, in
some accelerators the cavity and Blumlein line are separated by a long transmission line which
acts as a capacitance during the charge cycle. Premature core saturation shorts the reset circuit
and can lead to voltage reversal on the connecting line. The resulting negative voltage applied
to the cavity subtracts from the available volt-second product.
Flat voltage waveforms are usually desirable. In electron accelerators, voltage control assures
an output beam with small energy spread. Voltage waveform shaping is essential for induction
accelerators used for nonrelativistic particles. In this case, a rising voltage pulse is required for
longitudinal beam confinement (see Section 13.5). Power is usually supplied from a pulse
modulator which generates a square pulse in a matched load. There are two primary causes of
waveform distortion: (1) beam loading and (2) transformer droop. We will concentrate on
transformer droop in the remainder of this section.
The equivalent circuit of an induction linear accelerator cavity is shown in Figure 10.19a. The
driving modulator maintains constant voltage if the current to the cavity is constant. Current is
divided between the beam load, the damping resistor, and the leakage inductance. The leakage
current increases with time; therefore, the cavity does not present a matched load at an times
and the voltage droops. The goal is to compensate leakage current by inserting an element with a
rising impedance.
A simple compensation circuit is shown in Figure 10.19b. A series capacitor is added to the
damping resistor so that the impedance of the damping circuit rises with time. We can estimate
the value of capacitance that must be added to keep V0 constant by making the following
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Linear Induction Accelerators
simplifying assumptions: (1) the leakage path inductance is assumed constant over the
pulselength, ∆tp; (2) the voltage on the compensation capacitor Cc is small compared to V0; (3) the
leakage current is small compared to the total current supplied by the modulator; and (4) the beam
current is constant. The problem resolves into balancing the increase in leakage current by a
decrease in damping current.
With the above assumptions, the time-dependent leakage current is
i1 V0t/L1 (10.22)
for a voltage pulse initiated at t = 0. The current through the damping circuit is approximately
id (V0/R d) (1 t/RdCd). (10.23)
Balancing the time-dependent parts gives the following condition for constant circuit current:
R dCc L1/Rd. (10.24)
As an example, consider the long-pulse cavity that we have already discussed in this section.
Taking the average value of µ/µ o as 10,000 and applying Eq. (9.15), the inductance of the leakage
path for ideal ferromagnetic material is
L1 (µ/µ o) (µ o/2π) d ln(Ro/Ri) 400 µH.
The core actually operates in the saturation regime with a skin depth about one-third the
half-thickness of the lamination; we can make a rough estimate of the leakage current by dividing
the inductance by three, L1 = 133 µH. With a damping resistance of Rd = 30 Ω and a cavity
voltage of 100 kV, the modulator supplies a current greater than 5.3 kA. The leakage current is
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Linear Induction Accelerators
maximum at the end of the pulse. Equation (10.22) implies that i1 = 0.25 kA at t = ∆tp, so that the
third assumption above is valid. The compensating capacitance is predicted from Eq. (10.24) to be
Cc = 0.15 µF. The maximum voltage on the capacitor is 22 kV: thus, assumption 2 is also
satisfied. Capacitors are generally available in the voltage and capacitance range required, so that
the compensation method of Figure 10.19 is feasible.
At first glance, it is difficult to visualize the distribution of voltage in induction cavities because
electrostatic and inductive electric fields act in concord. In order to clarify field distributions, we
shall consider the specific example of the electron injector illustrated in Figure 10.20. The
configuration is the most complex one that would normally be encountered in practice. It has
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Linear Induction Accelerators
laminated cores, longitudinal stacking, radial stacking, and flux-forcing straps. We shall develop
an electric field map for times during which all core laminations are unsaturated. In the following
discussion, bracketed numbers are keyed to points in the figure.
1. Three cavities are combined to provide 3:1 longitudinal voltage step-up. The load circuit region
(1) is maintained at high vacuum, for electron transport. The leakage circuit region (2) is filled
with transformer oil for good insulation of the core and high-voltage leads. The vacuum insulator
(6) is shaped for optimum resistance to surface breakdown.
2. Power is supplied through transmission lines entering the cavity radially (3). At least two
diametrically opposed lines should be used in each cavity. Current distribution from a single
power feed has a strong azimuthal asymmetry. If a single line entered from the top, the magnetic
field associated with load current flow would be concentrated at the top, causing a downward
deflection of the electron beam.
3. The cores (4) are constructed by interleaving continuous ribbons of ferromagnetic material and
insulator; laminations are orientated as shown in Figure 10.20. One of the end faces (5) must be
exposed; otherwise, the cavity will be shorted by conduction across the laminations.
4. If V0 is the matched voltage output of the modulator, a single cavity produces a voltage 2V0.
Equipotential lines corresponding to this voltage pass through the vacuum insulator (6). At radii
inside the vacuum insulator, the field is electrostatic. The inner vacuum region has coaxial
geometry. To an observer on the center conductor (7), the potential of the outer conductor
appears to increase by 2V0 crossing each vacuum insulator from left to right.
5. Equipotential lines are sketched in Figure 10.20. In the vacuum region, an equal number of
lines is added at each insulator. The center conductor is tapered to minimize the secondary
inductance and to preserve a constant field stress on the metal surfaces.
6. In the core region, the electric field is the sum of electrostatic and inductive contributions. We
know that the two types of fields cancel along the shorted wall (8). We have already discussed the
distribution of equipotential lines inside the core in Section 10.2, so we will concentrate on the
potential distribution on the exposed face (5). The inclusion of flux-forcing straps ensures that the
two cores in each subcavity enclose equal flux. This implies that the point marked (9) between the
cores is at a relative potential Vo.
7. Each lamination in the cores isolates a voltage proportional to the applied magnetic field B1(r).
Furthermore, electrostatic fields in the core are radial. Therefore, the electric field along the
exposed face of an individual core has a l/r variation, and potential varies as Φ(r) - ln(r) . The
electrostatic potential distribution in the oil insulation has been sketched by connecting
equipotential lines to the specified potential on the exposed core surface (5).
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Linear Induction Accelerators
In summary, although the electric field distribution in compound inductive cavities is complex,
we can estimate it by analyzing the problem in parts. The distribution could be determined exactly
with a computer code to solve the Laplace equation in the presence of dielectrics. There is a
specified boundary condition on φ along the core face. It should be noted that the above
derivation gives, at best, a first-order estimate of field distributions. Effects of core nonlinearities
and unequal saturation complicate the situation considerably.
Average longitudinal gradient is one of the main figures of merit of an accelerator. Much of the
equipment associated with a linear accelerator, such as the accelerator tunnel, vacuum systems,
and focusing system power supplies, have a cost that scales linearly with the accelerator length.
Thus, if the output energy is specified, there is an advantage to achieving a high average gradient.
In the induction accelerator, the average gradient is constrained by the magnetic properties and
geometry of the ferromagnetic core. Referring to Figure 10.21, assume the core has inner and
outer radii Ri and Ro, and define κ as the ratio of the radii, κ Ro/Ri . The cavity has length ∆z of
which the core fills a fraction α. If particles gain energy ∆E in eV in a cavity with pulselength tp,
the volt-second constraint implies the following difference equation:
∆E tp ∆B (R oRi) α ∆z. (10.25)
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Linear Induction Accelerators
where ∆B is the volume-averaged flux change in the core. The pulselength may vary along the
length of the machine; Eq. (10.25) can be written as an integral equation:
Ef
where Ef is the final beam energy in electron volts, Ei is the injection energy, and L is the total
length. Accelerators for relativistic electrons, have constant pulselength. Equation (10.26) implies
that
(Ef Ei)/L α ∆B Ro (κ1) / ∆t p (V/m). (10.27)
In proposed accelerators for nonrelativistic ion beams [see A,Fattens, E. Hoyer, and D. Keefe,
Proc. 4th Intl. Conf. High Power Electron and Ion Beam Research and Technology, (Ecole
Polytechnique, 1981), 751]. the pulselength is shortened as the beam energy is raised to maintain
a constant beam length and space charge density. One possible variation is to take the pulselength
inversely proportional to the longitudinal velocity:
tp(E) tpf Ef / E(z). (10.28)
The quantity tpf is the pulselength of the output beam. Inserting Eq. (10.28) into Eq. (10.26) gives
Ef EfEi / L α ∆B Ro (κ1) / 2tpf. (10.29)
In the limit that Ei « Ef, the expressions of Eqs. (10.27) and (10.29) are approximately equal to
the average longitudinal gradient. In terms of the quantities defined, the total volume of
ferromagnetic cores in the accelerator is
V π (κ21) α L Ro2. (10.30)
1. High gradients are achieved with a large magnetic field swing in the core material (∆B) and the
tightest possible core packing α.
2. The shortest pulselength gives the highest gradient. Properties of the core material and the
inductance of the pulse modulators determine the minimum tp. High-current ferrite accelerators
have a minimum practical pulselength of about 50 ns. The figure is about 1 µs for silicon steel
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Linear Induction Accelerators
cores and 100 ns for Metglas cores with thin laminations. Because of their high flux swing
and fast pulse response, Metglas cores open new possibilities for high-gradient-induction linear
accelerators.
3. The average gradient is maximized when κ approaches infinity. On the other hand, the net core
volume is minimized when L approaches infinity. There is a crossover point of minimum
accelerator cost at certain values of κ and L, depending on the relative cost of cores versus other
components.
Substitution of some typical parameters in Eq. (10.27) will indicate the maximum gradient that
can be achieved with a linear induction accelerator. Take tp = 100 ns pulse and a Metglas core
with ∆B = 2.5 T, Ri = 0.1 in and Ro = 0.5 m. Vacuum ports, power feeds, and insulators must be
accommodated in the cavity in addition to the cores; we will take α = 0.5. These numbers imply a
gradient of 5 MV/m. This gradient is within a factor of 2-4 of those achieved in rf linear electron
accelerators. Higher gradients are unlikely because induction cavities have vacuum insulators
exposed to the full accelerating electric fields.
The ferromagnetic cores of induction accelerator cavities are massive, and the volt-second
product limitation restricts average longitudinal gradient. There has been considerable effort
devoted to the development of linear induction accelerators without ferromagnetic cores [A. I.
Pavlovskii, A, I. Gerasimov, D. I. Zenkov, V. S. Bosamykin, A. P. Klementev, and V. A.
Tananakin, Sov. At. Eng. 28, 549 (1970)]. These devices incorporate transmission lines within the
cavity. They achieve inductive isolation through the flux change accompanying propagation of
voltage pulses through the lines.
In order to understand the coreless induction cavity, we must be familiar with the radial
transmission line (Fig. 10.22). This geometry has much in common with the transmission lines we
have already studied except that voltage pulses propagate radially. Consider the conical section
electrode as the ground conductor ans the radial plate is the center conductor. The structure has
minimum radius Ri. We take the inner radius as the input point of the line. If voltage is applied to
the center conductor, a voltage pulse travels outward at a velocity determined by the medium in
the line. The voltage pulse maintains constant shape. If the line extends radially to infinity, the
pulse never returns. If the line has a finite radius (Ro), the pulse is reflected and travels back to the
center.
It is not difficult to show that the structure of Figure 10.22 has constant characteristic
impedance as a function of radius. (In other words, the ratio of the voltage and current associated
with a radially traveling pulse is constant.) In order to carry out the analysis, we assume that α,
the angle of the conical electrode, is small. In this case, the electric field lines are primarily in the
axial direction. There is a capacitance per unit of length in the radial direction given by
317
Linear Induction Accelerators
In order to determine the inductance per unit of radial length, we must consider current paths for
the voltage pulse. Inspection of Figure 10.22 shows that current flows axially through the power
feed, outward along the radial plate, and axially back across the gap as displacement current. The
current then returns along the ground conductor to the input point. If the pulse has azimuthal
symmetry, the only component of magnetic field is Bθ. The toroidal magnetic field is determined
by the combination of axial feed current, axial displacement current, and the axial component of
ground return current. Radial current does not produce toroidal magnetic fields. The combination
of axial current components results in a field of the form
Bθ µI/2πr (10.32)
confined inside the transmission line behind the pulse front. The region of magnetic field expands
as the pulse moves outward, so there is an inductance associated with the pulse. The magnetic
field energy per element of radial section length is
Umdr (Bθ2/2µ) (2πrdr) (r tanα) µ I 2 tanα dr/4π. (10.33)
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Linear Induction Accelerators
To summarize, both the capacitance and inductance per radial length element are constant. The
velocity of wave propagation is
v 1/ lc 1/ εµ. (10.35)
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Linear Induction Accelerators
The basic coreless induction cavity of Figure 10.23 is composed of two radial transmission lines.
There are open-circuit terminations at both the inner and outer radius; the high-voltage radial
electrode is supported by insulators and direct current charged to high voltage. The region at the
outer radius is shaped to provide a matched transition; a wave traveling outward in one line
propagates without reflection through the transition and travels radially inward down the other
line. There is a low-inductance, azimuthally symmetric shorting switch in one line at the inner
radius. The load is on the axis. We assume, initially that the load is a resistor with R = Z0;
subsequently, we will consider the possibility of a beam load which has time variations
synchronized to pulses in the cavity.
The electrical configuration of the coreless induction cavity is shown schematically in Figure
10.24a. Because the lines are connected at the outer radius, we can redraw the schematic as a
single transmission of length 2(Ro - Ri) that doubles back and connects at the load, as in Figure
10.24b. The quantity ∆t is the transit time for electromagnetic pulses through both lines, or
∆t 2 (R oRi)/v. (10.38)
The charging feed, which connects to a Marx generator, approximates an open circuit during the
fast output pulse of the lines. Wave polarities are defined with respect to the ground conductor;
the initial charge on the high-voltage electrode is +V0. As in our previous discussions of
transmission lines, the static charge can be resolved into two pulses of magnitude ½V0 traveling in
opposite directions, as shown. There is no net voltage across the load in the charged state.
Consider the sequence of events that occurs after the switch is activated at t = 0.
1. The point marked A is shorted to the radial electrode. During the time 0 < t < ∆t , the radial
wave traveling counterclockwise encounters the short circuit and is reflected with reversed
polarity. At the same time, the clockwise pulse travels across the short circuit and backward
through the matched resistance, resulting in a voltage -½V0 across the load. Charged particles gain
an energy ½qV0 traveling from point A to point B. The difference in potential between A and B
arises from the flux change associated with the traveling pulses.
2. At time t = ∆t, the clockwise-going positive wave is completely dissipated in the load resistor.
The head of the reflected negative wave arrives at the load. During the time ∆t < t < 2∆t , this
wave produces a positive voltage of magnitude ½V0 from point B to point A. The total waveform
at the load is shown in Figure 10.25a.
The bipolar waveform of Figure 10.25a is clearly not very useful for particle acceleration. Only
half of the stored energy can be used. Better coupling is achieved by using the beam load as a
switched resistor. The beam load is connected only when the beam is in the gap. Consider the
following situation. The beam, with a current V0/2Zo, does not arrive at the acceleration gap until
time ∆t. In the interval 0 < t < ∆t the gap is an open circuit. The status of the reflecting waves is
illustrated in Figure 10.24c. The counterclockwise wave reflects with inverted polarity; the
clockwise wave reflects from the open circuit gap with the same polarity. The voltage from B to A
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Linear Induction Accelerators
321
Linear Induction Accelerators
is the open-circuit voltage V0. At time t = ∆t, both the matched beam and the negative wave arrive
at the gap. The negative wave makes a positive accelerating voltage of magnitude ½V0 during the
time ∆t < t < 2∆t . In the succeeding time interval, 2∆t < t < 3∆t , the other wave which has
been reflected once from the open-circuit termination and once from the short-circuit termination
arrives at the gap to drive the beam. The waveform for this sequence is illustrated in Figure
10.25b. In theory, 100% of the stored energy can be transferred to a matched beam load at
voltage ½V0 for a time 2∆t.
Although coreless induction cavities avoid the use of ferromagnetic cores, technological
difficulties make it unlikely that they will supplant standard configurations. The following
problems are encountered in applications:
1. The pulselength is limited by the electromagnetic transit time in the structure. Even with a high
dielectric constant material such as water, the radial transmission lines must have an outer
diameter greater than 9 ft for an 80-ns pulse.
2. Energy storage is inefficient for large-diameter lines. The maximum electric field must be
chosen to avoid breakdown at the smallest radius. The stored energy density of electric fields [Eq.
(5.19)] decreases as l/r2 moving out in radius.
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Linear Induction Accelerators
4. Parasitic inductance in the load circuit tends to be larger than the primary inductance of the
leakage path because the load is a beam with radius that is small compared to the radius of the
shorting switches. The parasitic inductance degrades the gap pulse shape and the efficiency of the
accelerator.
5.The switch sequence for high-efficiency energy transfer means that damping resistors cannot be
used in parallel with the gap to protect the cavity.
One of the main reasons for interest in coreless induction accelerators was the hope that they
could achieve higher average accelerating gradients than ferromagnetic cavity accelerators. In
fact, a careful analysis shows that coreless induction accelerators have a significant disadvantage
in terms of average gradient compared to accelerators with ferromagnetic isolation. We will make
the comparison with the following constraints:
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Linear Induction Accelerators
1. The cavities have the same pulselength ∆tp and beamcurrent Io.
2. Regions of focusing magnets, pumping ports, and insulators are not included.
We have seen in Section 10.6 that the gradient of an ideal cavity with ferromagnetic isolation of
length l with core outer radius Ro and inner radius Ri is
V0/l ∆B (RoRi) / ∆tp. (10.39)
where ∆B is the maximum flux swing. Equation (10.39) proceeds directly from the volt-second
limitation on the core. In a radial line cavity, the cavity length is related to the outer radius of the
line, Ro, by
l 2 R o tanα, (10.40)
where α is the angle of the conical transmission lines. The voltage pulse in a high-efficiency cavity
with charge voltage V0 has magnitude ½V0 and duration
τp 4 (R oRi) ε/εo/c, (10.41)
where Ri is the inner radius,of the transmission lines. We further require that the beam load is
matched to the cavity:
Zo V0/2I0.
The characteristic impedance is given by Eq. (10.36). Combining Eq. (10.36) with Eqs. (10.40)
and (10.41) gives the following expression for voltage gradient:
V0/l (µ o/π) (1 Ri/R o) Io / ∆tp.
Equation (10.42) has some interesting implications for coreless induction cavities. First, gradient
in an efficient accelerator is proportional to beam current. Second, the gradient for a given
pulselength is relatively insensitive to the outer radius of the line. This reflects the fact that the
energy storage density is low at large radii. Third, the gradient for ideal cavities does not depend
on the filling medium of the transmission lines. Within limits of practical construction, an oil-filled
line has the same figure of merit as a water-filled line.
In order to compare the ferromagnetic core and coreless cavities, assume the following
conditions. The pulselength is 100 ns and the beam current is 50 kA (the highest current that has
presently been transported a significant distance in a multistage accelerator). The ferromagnetic
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Linear Induction Accelerators
core has Ro = 0.5 m, Ri = 0.1 m, and ∆B = 2.5 T. The coreless cavity has Ri/Ro « 1 . Equation
(10.39) implies that the maximum theoretical gradient of the Metglas cavity is 10 MV/m, while
Eq. (10.42) gives an upper limit for the coreless cavity of only 0.16 MV/m, a factor of 63 lower.
Similar results can be obtained for any coreless configuration. Claims for high gradient in coreless
accelerators usually are the result of implicit assumptions of extremely short pulselengths (10-20
ns) and low system efficiency.
325
Betatrons
11
Betatrons
The betatron [D.W. Kerst, Phys. Rev. 58, 841 (1940)] is a circular induction accelerator used
for electron acceleration. The word betatron derives from the fact that high-energy electrons are
often called $-particles. Like the linear induction accelerator, the betatron is the circuit
equivalent of a step-up transformer. The main difference from the linear induction accelerator is
that magnetic bending and focusing fields are added to confine electrons to circular orbits around
the isolation core. The beam acts as a multi-turn secondary. A single-pulsed power modulator
operating at a few kilovolts drives the input; the output beam energy may exceed 100 MeV. The
maximum electron kinetic energy achieved by betatrons is about 300 MeV. The energy limit is
determined in part by the practical size of pulsed magnets and in part by synchrotron radiation.
General principles of the betatron are introduced in Section 11.1. The similarities between the
power circuits of the linear induction accelerator, the recirculating induction linear accelerator,
and the betatron are emphasized. An expression is derived for the maximum energy from a
betatron; neglecting radiation, the limit depends only on the properties of the ferromagnetic core.
Two areas of accelerator physics must be studied in detail in order to understand the betatron;
the theory of particle orbits in a gradient-type magnetic field and properties of magnetic circuits.
Regarding orbits, the simple theory of betatron oscillations introduced in Section 7.3 must be
extended. The amplitude of transverse-orbit oscillations and conditions for constant main-orbit
radius must be determined for highly relativistic particles in a slowly changing magnetic field.
Section 11.2 treats main orbit equilibria. The main orbit in the betatron has a constant radius
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Betatrons
during the acceleration cycle. The orbit exists when the well-known betatron condition is
satisfied. The confinement properties of the system for nonideal orbits are subsequently
discussed.
The derivations demonstrate two properties of orbits: (1) particles injected on a circular orbit
inside or outside the main orbit approach the main orbit during acceleration and (2) the
amplitude of transverse oscillations decreases during the acceleration cycle. Section 11.3
addresses the first effect, motion of the instantaneous circle. Section 11.5 discusses damping of
relativistic betatron
oscillations during acceleration. As an introduction, Section 11.4 reviews the properties of
periodic particle motions under the influence of slowly changing forces. The laws governing
reversible compressions, both for nonrelativistic and relativistic particles, are discussed. The
results are applicable to a wide variety of accelerators and particle confinement devices. Section
11.6 covers injection and extraction of electrons from the machine.
Section 11.7 surveys betatron magnet circuits, proceeding from simple low-energy devices to
high-energy accelerators with optimal use of the core. The betatron magnet provides fields for
particle acceleration, beam bending, and particle confinement. The magnet must be carefully
designed in order to fulfill these functions simultaneously. Ferromagnetic materials are an
integral
part of all betatrons except the smallest laboratory devices. Thus, the available flux change is
limited by the saturation properties of iron. Within these limits, the magnet circuit is designed to
achieve the highest beam kinetic energy for a given stored modulator energy.
Even with good magnet design, existing betatrons are inefficient. Conventional betatrons rely
on gradients of the bending field for focusing and utilize low-energy electron injection. The
self-electric field of the beam limits the amount of charge that can be contained during the
low-energy phase of the acceleration cycle. Usually, the beam current is much smaller than the
driving circuit leakage current. Consequently, energy losses from hysteresis and eddy currents in
the core are much larger than the net beam energy. Efficiency is increased by high beam current.
Some strategies for high-current transport are discussed in Section 11.6. The two most promising
options are (1) addition of supplemental focusing that is effective at low energy and (2)
high-energy electron injection using a linear induction accelerator as a preaccelerator. In
principle, betatrons can produce beam powers comparable to linear induction accelerators with a
considerable reduction in isolation core mass.
Figure 11.1 illustrates the basic betatron geometry. A toroidal vacuum chamber encircles the
core of a large magnet. The magnetic field is produced by pulsed coils; the magnetic flux inside
the radius of the vacuum chamber changes with time. Increasing flux generates an azimuthal
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Betatrons
In the absence of an air gap, there is little magnetic flux outside the core. An air gap is
included to divert some of the magnetic flux into the vacuum chamber. By the proper choice of
gap width, the vertical magnetic field can be adjusted to confine electrons to a circular orbit in
the vacuum chamber. As shown in Figure 11.1, the confining field lines are curved. The
resultant field has a positive field index. As we found in Section 7.3, the field can focus in both
the horizontal and vertical directions.
In summary, the simple betatron of Figure 11.1 has the following elements:
2. An air gap to force magnetic field into the beam transport region; electrons follow circular
orbits in the bending field.
At first glance, the betatron appears quite different from the linear induction accelerator.
Nonetheless, we can show that the power circuits of the two devices are similar. To begin,
consider the induction accelerator illustrated in Figure 11.2a. The geometry is often called a
recirculating induction linac. The transport tube is bent so that the beam passes through the
same cavity a number of times. This allows higher beam kinetic energy for a given volt-second
328
Betatrons
329
Betatrons
product of the isolation cores. The transport. tubes are made of metal; each cavity has separate
vacuum insulators and high-voltage feeds. There are supplemental magnetic or electric forces to
bend the orbits and keep particles confined in the tube.
To begin, we calculate the maximum electron kinetic energy possible in a recirculating
induction linac with the following assumptions:
During the acceleration cycle, the electrons make ct p/2BR revolutions and travel through
Nct p/2BR cavities. The final kinetic energy is therefore
Eb Vot pNc/2BR (eV). (11.1)
Equation (11.1) can be rewritten by expressing the volt-second product in terms of the core
properties [Eq. (10.1)]:
Eb 2BsNAcc/2BR. (11.2)
For a given circumference, the highest energy is attained with the tightest packing of isolation
cores around the beam tube. The packing limit is reached when the cores fill the area inside the
beam, NA c BR 2 . Making this substitution, we find that
Eb 2B sRc/2. (11.3)
An optimized recirculating induction accelerator with pie-shaped cores is shown in Figure 11.2b.
In the figure, much of the structure has been removed and the vacuum insulators have been
extended to produce a single nonconducting toroidal vacuum chamber. The final step is to
recognize that the radial currents of the individual power feeds cancel out; we can replace the
multiple voltage feeds with a single line that encircles the core. Power is supplied from a
single-pulse modulator. The resulting geometry, the power circuit of the betatron, is shown in
Figure 11.2c.
In summary, the main differences between the betatron and the linear induction accelerator are
as follows:
1. The betatron has one pulse modulator; the induction accelerator has many.
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Betatrons
2. The beam in an induction accelerator makes a single pass through the machine. The
equivalent circuit is a transformer with a single-turn secondary and multiple parallel primary
windings. In the betatron, the beam makes many revolutions around the core. The circuit
representing this machine is a single primary with a multi-turn secondary.
3. Because of recirculation, average gradient is not a concern in the betatron. Therefore, low
accelerating voltages and relatively long pulselengths (matched to the available volt-second
product of the core) are used. The circuit of Figure 11.2c requires a slow voltage pulse because it
has significantly higher inductance than the driving circuits of Fi re 11.2b.
4. Shaping of the voltage pulse shape is not important in the betatron. The beam is distributed
uniformly around the transport tube; there is no need for longitudinal confinement. The betatron
magnet is usually driven by a bipolar, harmonic voltage waveform that cycles the core between -
Bs and +Bs.
The slow acceleration cycle and small circuital voltage allow a number of options for
construction of the transport tube. The tube may be composed of metal interrupted azimuthally
by one or more insulating rings. It is also possible to use a metal chamber constructed of thin
stainless steel; the wall resistance must be high enough to keep inductively driven return currents
small.
Equation 11.3 is also applicable to the betatron. As an example of kinetic energy limits, take R
= 1 m and Bs = 1.5 T. The maximum kinetic energy is less than 450 MeV. Equation (11.3) has
an important implication for the scaling of betatron output energy. The beam energy increases
linearly with the radius of the central core, while the volume of core and flux return yoke
increase as R3. Cost escalates rapidly with energy; this is one of the main reasons why betatrons
are limited to moderate beam energy.
As a final topic, we shall consider why betatrons have little potential for ion acceleration. In
the discussion, ion dynamics is treated nonrelativistically. Assume an ion of mass mi is contained
in a betatron with radius R; the emf around the core is V0. The energy ions gain in a time interval
)t is eV0 multiplied by the number of revolutions, or
dE b
(eV0/2BR) 2Eb/mi )t.
(11.4)
Integrating Eq. (11.5) (with the assumption that the final ion energy Eb is much larger than the
injection energy), we find that
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Betatrons
Substituting for the volt-second product and assuming a core area BR2, Eq. (11.6) can be
rewritten
Eb (2e/mi) (BsR/2)2. (11.7)
With the same magnet parameters as above (R = 1 m, Bs = 1.5 T), Eq. (11.7) implies that the
maximum energy for deuterons is only 54 MeV. Comparing Eq. (11.7) to Eq. (11.3), we find
that the ratio of maximum obtainable energies for ions compared to electrons is
Eb (ions) / Eb (electrons) vif / c, (11/8)
where vif is the final ion velocity. Equation (11.8) has a simple interpretation. During the same
acceleration cycle, the nonrelativistic ions make fewer revolutions around the core than electrons
and gain a correspondingly smaller energy.
The magnitude of the magnetic field at the orbit radius of electrons in a betatron is determined
by the shape of the magnet poles. The equilibrium orbit has the following properties: (1) the
orbit is circular with a radius equal to that of the major radius R of the vacuum chamber and (2)
the orbit is centered in the symmetry plane of the field with no vertical oscillations. This
trajectory is called the main orbit. We will consider other possible orbits in terms of
perturbations about the main orbit.
The vertical field at R is designated Bz(R). Equation (3.38) implies that Bz(R) and R are related
by
R (mev /eBz(R) p /eB z(R). (11.9)
The quantity p is the total momentum of particles on the main orbit. The magnetic field varies
with time. The azimuthal electric field acting on electrons is
E(dl dM/dt 2BRE , (11.10)
m
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Betatrons
where M is the magnetic flux enclosed within the particle orbit. Particle motion on the main orbit
is described by the following equations:
vr 0, dp r/dt 0,
vz 0, dp z/dt 0, (11.11)
Equation (11.11) is obtained from Eq. (3.34) by setting vr = 0. We assume that R does not vary
in time; consequently, Eq. (11.11) can be integrated directly to give
p e [M(t) M(0)]/2BR (e/2BR) )M. (11.12)
Equation (11.13) is the well-known betatron condition. The betatron pole piece is designed so
that vertical field at the average beam radius is equal to one-half the flux change in the core
divided by the area inside the particle orbit. The betatron condition has a simple interpretation
for the machine illustrated in Figure 11.1. Electrons are injected at low energy when the orbital
field and the flux in the core are near zero. The bending field and accelerating field are produced
by the same coils, so that they are always proportional if there is no local saturation of the core
iron. The main orbit has radius R throughout the acceleration cycle if the vertical field at R is
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Betatrons
equal to one-half the average field enclosed by the orbit. This condition holds both in the
nonrelativistic and relativistic regimes. The acceleration cycle is illustrated in Figure 11.3.
The standard electron injector of a betatron consists of a thermionic source at high dc voltage
(20-120 kV) with extractor electrodes (Fig. 11.4). It is clear that such a device cannot extend to
the main orbit. The injector is located at a radius inside or outside the main orbit and is displaced
vertically from the symmetry plane. The extractor voltage is set so that the electrons have a
circular orbit of radius R+)R in the magnetic field at injection. The betatron condition is not
334
Betatrons
satisfied on this orbit; therefore, the orbit radius changes during the acceleration cycle. We shall
see that the orbit asymptotically approaches the main orbit as the electron energy increases. The
circular orbit with slowly varying radius is referred to as the instantaneous circle.
Let p0 be the momentum of a particle on the main orbit and p1 be the momentum of a particle
injected a distance )R from the main orbit on the instantaneous circle. At injection, the momenta
and magnetic fields are related by
p0(0) eBz(R)R, (11.14)
Equation (11.13) has been used in the first term to express the magnetic flux in the region 0 < r
< R. Assume that field variations are small over the region near the main orbit so that
B z(r) Bz(R) . To first order in )r, Eq. (11.16) can be rewritten
dM1/dt 2BR 2 [dBz(R)/dt] 2BR )R (dBz/dt) 2BRr [dB z(R)/dt]. (11.17)
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Betatrons
We recognize that the expression on the right-hand side is equal to dpo/dt [Eq. (11.14)].
The main conclusion is that particles on the instantaneous circle gain momentum at the same
rate as particles on the main orbit, as illustrated in Figure 11.5. The ratio of the radius of the
instantaneous circle to that of the main orbit is equal to the relative momentum difference, or
*p/po )R/R. (11.19)
The radius difference is proportional, to 1/po because *p is constant by Eq. (11.18). Therefore,
the instantaneous circle approaches the main orbit as the electron energy increases.
As we saw in Section 7.3, the focusing strength of magnetic field gradients is proportional to the
magnitude of the bending field. In order to describe the betatron, the derivations of particle
transport in continuous focusing systems must be extended to include time-varying focusing
forces. As an introduction, we will consider the general properties of periodic orbits when the
confining force varies slowly compared to the period of particle oscillations. The approximation
of slow field variation is justified for the betatron; the transverse oscillation period is typically
10-20 ns while the acceleration cycle is on the order of 1 ms. The results are applicable to many
beam transport systems.
To begin, consider the nonrelativistic transverse motion of a particle under the action of a
force with a linear spatial variation. The magnitude of the force may change with time. The
equation of motion is
d 2x/dt 2 [F(t)/mxo] x T(t)2 x. (11.20)
If the time scale for the force to change, )T, is long compared to 1/ T, then the solution of Eq.
(11.20) looks like the graph of Figure 11.6. The relative change in T over one period, )T, is
small:
)T/T « 1. (11.21)
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Betatrons
(dT/dt) (1/T)
dT/dt « 1, (11.12)
T T2
1
« 1. (11.23)
T )T
Equations (11.21)-(11.23) give the condition for a reversible compression (or reversible
expansion). The meaning of reversible will be evident when we consider properties of the
particle orbits.
Following Figure 11.6, an approximate solution to Eq. (11.20) should be oscillatory with a
slow variation of amplitude. We assume a form
x(t) A(t) sin[M(t)]. (11.24)
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Betatrons
The quantities A(t) and M(t) are determined by substituting Eq. (11.24) into Eq. (11.20) and
dropping terms of order (1/T)T)2 or higher.
Calculating the derivatives and substituting,
The solution must hold at all values of M. Therefore, the sin M and cosM terms must be
individually equal, or
(d 2A/dt 2) A (dM/dt)2 T2 A, (11.25)
The first term in Eq. (11.25) is of order A/)T2. This term is less than the expression on the
right-hand side by a factor (1/ T)T)2, so it can be neglected. Equation (11.25) becomes
dM/dt T ; therefore,
M T dt Mo. (11.27)
m
or
T A 2 const. (11.29)
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Betatrons
Hving solved the problem mathematically, let us consider the physical implications of the
results.
1. At a particular time, the particle orbits approximate harmonic orbits with an angular frequency
T determined by the magnitude of the force. The amplitude and angular frequency of the
oscillations changes slowly with time.
2. As the force increases, the amplitude of particle oscillations decreases, xmax - 1/ T . This
process is called compression of the orbit.
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Betatrons
Figure 11.7 gives a graphical interpretation of the above conclusions. Particle orbits are plotted
in phase space with x and vx as axes. Inspection of Eqs. (11.30) and (11.31) shows that particle
orbits acted on by a linear force are ellipses in phase space. Orbits are plotted in Figure 11.7 for
a slow increase in focusing force (reversible compression). Although the oscillation amplitude
changes, the net phase space area included within the orbit is constant. If the force slowly returns
to its initial value, the particle orbit is restored to its original parameters; hence, the term
reversible.
The properties of reversible compressions are not limited to linear forces but hold for
confinement forces with any spatial variation. Consider, for instance, a particle contained by the
square-well potential illustrated in Figure 11.8. The force is infinite at x = xo and x = -xo . The
particle has constant velocity vxo except at the reflection points. The walls move inward or
outward slowly compared to the time scale xo(t)/vxo(t). In other words, the constant wall velocity
vw is small compared to vxo(t) at all times.
Particles reflect from the wall elastically. Conservation of momentum implies that the
magnitude of vxo is constant if the wall is stationary. If the wall moves inward at velocity vw, the
particle velocity after a collision is increased by an amount
)vxo 2vw. (11.34)
In a time interval )t, a particle collides with the walls vxo(t))t/2x o(t) times. Averaging over
many collisions, we can write the following differential equation:
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Betatrons
This is the same result that we found for the harmonic potential. Similarly, defining the periodic
frequency T vxo(t)/x o(t), Eq. (11.37) implies that
xo - 1/ T,
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Betatrons
or
xo
2
T const. (11.38)
as before. A phase space plot of particle orbits in a highly nonlinear focusing system during a
reversible compression is given in Figure 11.9.
Reviewing the conclusions of Section 7.3, particles in a gradient magnetic field perform
harmonic oscillations about the main orbit in the radial and vertical directions. The frequencies
of oscillation are
Tr Tg 1n, (11.39)
Tz Tg n, (11.40)
where n is the field index and Tg eB z(R)/(me . In the betatron, the magnitude of the magnetic
field increases (Tg is a function of time) while the relative shape remains constant ( n is
constant). The focusing force increases; therefore, the amplitude of oscillations in the radial and
vertical directions decreases and particles move closer to the main orbit. This process is often
called damping of betatron oscillations, although this is a misnomer. The process is reversible
and no dissipation is involved.
The mathematical description of betatron oscillations is similar to that of Section 11.4 except
that the variation of electron mass with energy must be taken into account for relativistically
correct results. We shall consider motion in the vertical direction; the derivation for radial
motion is a straightforward extension. With the assumption that v z « v2 , the transverse
approximation (Section 2.10) can be applied. This means that vertical motions do not influence
the value of (.
The vertical equation of motion for a linear force can be written
dpz(t)/dt d[m(t)vz(t)]/dt m(t) Tz(t)2 z. (11.41)
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Betatrons
(11.44)
[(d A/dt ) (dA/dt)(dm/dt)/m] sinMz 0.
2 2
We can show by dimensional arguments that the third term of Eq. (11.44) is smaller than the
first term by a factor of (l/ T)T)2, where )T is the time scale of the acceleration cycle.
Therefore, to first order, the first term is approximately equal to zero:
Equation (11.45) gives the same result as the nonrelativistic derivation [Eq. (11.27)]:
Mz Tzdt NO. (11.46)
m
or
A 2mTz const. (11.48)
There are some interesting implications associated with the above derivation. As before, the
vertical displacements and velocity are 90E out of phase with magnitudes related by
vz,max zmax Tz A Tz. (11.49)
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Betatrons
For relativistic particles, the area circumscribed by an orbit is constant if it is plotted in phase
space axes of displacement and momentum rather than displacement and velocity.
Particle injection into linear accelerators is not difficult. In contrast, injection is a significant
problem for circular accelerators, particularly those with constant beam radius such as the
betatron. This is one of the reasons why high current electron beams have not yet been
accelerated in betatrons. The conventional betatron electron source consists of a thermionic
cathode located in the vacuum chamber (Fig. 11.4) capable of emitting 1-2 A current. The
cathode is biased to high negative potential and electrons are extracted and focused by shaped
electrodes. The emerging beam has a large spread in particle direction. The source is pulsed on
for a few microseconds at the time when electrons will travel on an instantaneous circle orbit in
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Betatrons
the rising bending magnetic field.
Following injection, the combined effects of inward motion of the instantaneous circle and
damping of betatron oscillations carries electrons away from the injector so that some are
trapped. The process is illustrated in Figure 11.10. Without such effects, the electrons would
eventually strike the back of the injector. The fraction of electrons trapped is increased if the
injector is
displaced vertically from the main orbit. Because of the vertical oscillations, particles may travel
many revolutions before striking the injector, even in the absence of radial motion.
As an example, consider a 300-MeV betatron with main orbit radius of 1 m operating at 180
Hz. The rate of energy gain is about 7 keV/turn. If the injection energy is 100 keV and the
initial instantaneous circle has radius 1.05 m, then Eq. (11.19) implies that the orbit moves
radially inward a distance 0.24 cm in a single turn. If vertical oscillations allow the particles
5-10 turns,
this radial motion is sufficient to trap a substantial number of electrons.
The main limit on trapping in a high-energy betatron appears to result from beam space charge
effects. Focusing is weak at injection because of the low applied magnetic field. In the example
above, the injection field is only 10 -3 T. Estimating the space charge force and specifying a
balance with the vertical focusing force leads to a predicted equilibrium current of less than 1 A
for a
beam with 4 cm vertical extent. This figure is consistent with the maximum current observed in
betatrons. The dominant role of space charge in limiting injection current is consistent with the
fact the trapped current increases significantly with increased injector voltage. The injection
efficiency for high-energy betatrons with an internal, electrostatic injector is typically only a few
percent.
Trapping mechanisms are not as easily explained in small, low-energy betatrons. In a machine
with output energy of 20 MeV, motion of the instantaneous circle is predicted to be on the order
of only 2 × 10 -3 cm. Nonetheless, the trapped current is observed to be much higher than that
predicted from single-particle orbit dynamics combined with the probability of missing the
injector. The most widely accepted explanation is that collective particle effects are responsible
for the enhanced trapping. There is a substantial inductance associated with the changes of beam
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Betatrons
current around the ferromagnetic core. The increasing beam current during the injection pulses
induces a back emf that is larger than the accelerating emf of the core. The inductive electric
field decelerates electrons. The effect is almost independent of radius, so that particle orbits
shrink toward the main orbit much more rapidly than predicted by the arguments of Section
11.3. This explanation is supported by the fact that trapping in low-energy betatrons is improved
considerably when orbit contraction coils are incorporated in the machine. These rapidly pulsed
coils enhance the self-field effects by inducing a back emf.
Extraction of electron beams from betatrons is accomplished with a magnetic peeler,
illustrated in Figure 11.11. This device is a magnetic field shunt located on an azimuth outside
the radius where n = 1. It cannot be located too close to the main orbit because the associated
magnetic field perturbation would cause particle loss during the low-energy phase of the
acceleration cycle. If particles are forced past the n = 1 radius, radial focusing is lost and they
spiral outward into the peeler. There are a number of options for inducing radial motion of the
betatron beam. One possibility is an orbit expander coil. The expander coil is activated at the
peak of the electron energy. It subtracts from the bending field in the beam chamber, causing the
beam radius to expand. Another method of moving electrons out in radius is to induce betatron
oscillations by resonant fields. Electric or magnetic fields oscillating at 1n Tg are generated
by coils or plates at particular azimuthal positions. If the growth of betatron oscillations is rapid,
the beam spills out at a specific azimuth.
The maximum current that can be contained in a betatron is determined by a balance between
the mutual repulsion between electrons and the focusing forces. In terms of space-charge
equilibrium, the gradient focusing strength in a betatron at peak field ( - 1 T) is sufficient to
contain a high-energy (- 300 MeV) electron beam with current in excess of 10 kA. A
high-energy electron beam is stiff and largely confined by its own magnetic fields; therefore, an
extension of conventional betatron extraction techniques would be sufficient to extract the beam
from the machine. Containing the beam during the low-energy portion of the acceleration phase
346
Betatrons
347
Betatrons
FD configuration. The study of alternate focusing methods in betatrons is an active area of
research. There are some difficult technological problems to be solved. For instance, injection
into a betatron with a strong toroidal field is considerably more difficult than injection into a
standard geometry, even at low current. The main problem in any strong focusing betatron is the
fact that
the beam must pass through the L = 1 condition (see Section 7.2). When the low-energy beam is
injected, the strong space charge forces require strong supplementary focusing. Strong focusing
implies that the betatron wavelength is less than the circumference of the machine; thus, L > 1 in
both the radial and vertical directions. At the end of the acceleration cycle, gradient field
focusing dominates. The orbits resemble those in a conventional betatron with L < 1. Passage
through the resonance condition could be avoided by increasing the supplementary focusing
fields with the bending fields and keeping L > 1. This is not technologically practical since the
focusing system would require high energy input. Passage through the L = 1 condition may
result in complete loss of the beam. There is a possibility that the severity of resonance
instabilities could be reduced by a nonlinear focusing system, a fast acceleration cycle, or tuned
electrostatic lenses that sweep the focusing system rapidly through the resonance condition.
The kinetic energy limit of betatrons is tied closely to the saturation properties of iron. Although
air core betatrons have been operated successfully, they are impractical except for small research
devices because of the large circulating energy and power losses involved. The volume of
magnetic field outside the iron core should be minimized for the highest accelerator efficiency
and lowest cost. With these factors in mind, we will review some of the types of betatron
magnets that have been developed. The order will be roughly historical, proceeding from the
simplest circuits at low energy to the highest energy attained.
An early betatron for electrons at 20 MeV is illustrated in Figure 11.1. The acceleration cycle
is illustrated in Figure 11.3. The core flux and bending field are part of the same magnetic
circuit; therefore, they are proportional to one another. A betatron driving circuit is illustrated in
Figure 11.14. The inductance represents the betatron core and windings; a resistor has been
included
to represent energy loss through winding resistivity, hysteresis, and eddy currents. The beam
load is also indicated; at current typical of conventional betatrons, the impedance of the beam
load is high. The beam current is much smaller than the leakage current. In order to keep the
power consumed by the betatron at a reasonable level, the core inductor is often combined with a
capacitor bank to form a resonant circuit. The leakage current is supported as reactive current in
the resonant circuit; a fraction of the energy of the underdamped LC circuit is lost on each cycle
to resistive losses and beam acceleration. The stored energy of the capacitor bank is topped up
on each cycle by a driving circuit with high-power vacuum tubes.
The components of the resonant circuit fulfill the following conditions:
348
Betatrons
f 2B / LC.
2.The stored energy in the capacitor bank, ½CV 02, equals the total magnetic field energy at the
peak of the acceleration cycle,
Um dx 3 (B 2/2µ).
m
3. The ampere turns in the coil box are sufficient to produce the field in the air gap.
The above conditions can be combined to determine the capacitor bank voltage and number of
turns in the coil box given the operating parameters of the betatron.
The betatron of Figure 11.1 has a major drawback for application to high-energy beams. Most
of the energy in the drive circuit is utilized to produce magnetic flux in the central air gap. This
translates into a large capacitor bank to store energy and increased resistive losses because of the
high NI product of the coil. In order to extend the betatron to higher energy and keep power
consumption low enough to run on a continuous basis, it is clearly advantageous to eliminate the
air gap. One solution is illustrated in Figure 11.15a. The magnetic flux at the electron orbit is
produced by a separate magnet circuit. The beam transport circuit has its own flux-guiding core
and magnet windings. The size of the capacitor bank is reduced considerably, and power losses
349
Betatrons
are typically only one-third those that would occur with a single-magnet circuit. The
disadvantage of the design is the increased complexity of assembly and increased volume of the
main circuit core in order to accommodate the bending field circuit.
An interesting problem associated with the betatron of Figure 11.15a is how to drive the two
magnetic circuits with close tracking between the transport fields and acceleration flux. An
effective solution is to connect both magnets to the same power supply in parallel, as shown in
Figure 11.15b. Because the voltage across the windings must be the same, the flux change
350
Betatrons
351
Betatrons
352
Betatrons
through both windings is the same. Thus, if the number of turns and geometry of the windings
are chosen properly, the ratio of bending field and core flux will be correct throughout the
acceleration cycle, independent of the effective µ values in the two cores. This is another
application of flux forcing (see Section 10.4).
The magnet design of Figure 11.16a represents another stage of improvement. It is much
simpler than the magnet of Figure 11.15a and still produces a bending field without an air gap.
In order to understand how this configuration works, we shall approach the circuit in parts and
then determine the total magnetic field by superposition. First, consider a single coil inside the
radius of the vacuum chamber, as shown in Figure 11.16b. All the magnetic flux flows through
the central core as shown. In the second stage (Fig. 11.16c), we consider the field produced by a
winding inside the vacuum chamber carrying current -NI and a windings outside the chamber
carrying current +NI. This produces a bending field at the main orbit, and flux returns through
the core as shown. In the final configuration, Figure 11.16d, the external windings are present
and the windings on the flux coil are reduced by -NI ampere turns to generate the net field.
Proper choice of the number of turns on the flux coil versus the field coils plus shunting of the
bending field gap assures that the betatron condition is satisfied.
A further improvement to the magnet of Figure 11.16 to reach higher beam energy is to utilize
the full available flux swing of the central core during acceleration. In the previous acceleration
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Betatrons
cycles we have discussed, the core field changes from 0 to +Bs while the bending field changes
from 0 to +½Bs. Inspection of Eq. (11.13) shows that the betatron condition is expressed in
terms of the change of included flux, not the absolute value. An acceleration cycle in which the
core magnetic field changes from -Bs to +Bs, while the bending field changes from 0 to +Bs
satisfies the betatron condition and doubles the final electron energy for a given core size. There
are two methods to achieve an acceleration cycle with full flux swing, field biasing and flux
biasing. Field biasing is illustrated in Figure 11.17a. A dc component of magnitude +½ Bs is
added to the bending field. Acceleration takes place over a half-cycle of the ac waveform. For
354
Betatrons
flux biasing, dc bias windings are added to the core circuit to maintain the core at - Bs. Bias
windings are illustrated in Figure 11.16. The field and flux coils are energized in parallel to
produce the accelerating waveform illustrated in Figure 11.17b. Acceleration takes place over
one quarter-cycle. The main technological difficulty associated with flux biasing is that the core
is driven to saturation, resulting in increased hystersis and eddy current losses. Also, during the
negative half-cycle, the core has µ = µ o so that the circuit inductance varies considerably.
Betatrons with flux biasing are usually driven by pulse power modulators rather than resonant
circuits. A pulsed acceleration cycle is shown in Figure 11.17c.
A modern commercial betatron for radiation therapy is illustrated in Figure 11.18a. The
machine accelerates electrons to a maximum kinetic energy of 45 MeV to generate deeply
penetrating radiation. Electrons can be extracted directly or used to generate forward-directed
gamma rays on an internal target. The 12,000-kG machine and the treatment table can be moved
to a variety of positions to achieve precise dose profiles. A cross section of the betatron (Fig.
11.18b) illustrates operation in the gamma ray and electron modes.
355
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
12
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
This chapter initiates our study of resonant accelerators., The category includes rf
(radio-frequency) linear accelerators, cyclotrons, microtrons, and synchrotrons. Resonant
accelerators have the following features in common:
1. Applied electric fields are harmonic. The continuous wave (CW) approximation is valid;
a frequency-domain analysis is the most convenient to use. In some accelerators, the
frequency of the accelerating field changes over the acceleration cycle; these changes are
always slow compared to the oscillation period.
Microwave theory relevant to accelerators is reviewed in this chapter. Chapter 13 describes the
coupling of longitudinal particle dynamics to electromagnetic waves and introduces the concept of
phase stability. The theoretical tools of this chapter and Chapter 13 will facilitate the study of
specific resonant accelerators in Chapters 14 and 15.
As an introduction to frequency-domain analysis, Section 12.1 reviews complex exponential
representation of harmonic functions. The concept of complex impedance for the analysis of
passive element circuits is emphasized. Section 12.2 concentrates on a lumped element model for
356
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
the fundamental mode of a resonant cavity. The Maxwell equations are solved directly in Section
12.3 to determine the characteristics of electromagnetic oscillations in resonant cavities. Attention
is centered on the TM010 mode because it is the most useful mode for particle acceleration.
Physical properties of resonators are discussed in Section 12.4. Subjects include the Q value of a
cavity and effects of competing modes. Methods of extracting energy from and coupling energy
to resonant cavities are discussed in Section 12.5.
Section 12.6 develops the frequency-domain analysis of transmission lines. There are three
reasons to extend the analysis of transmission lines. First, an understanding of transmission lines
helps to illuminate properties of resonant cavities and waveguides. Second, transmission lines are
often used to transmit power to accelerator cavities. Finally, the transmission line equations
illustrate methods to match power sources to loads with reactive components, such as resonant
cavities. In this application, a transmission line acts to transform the impedance of a
single-frequency input. Section 12.7 treats the cylindrical resonant cavity as a radial transmission
line with an open-circuit termination at the inner radius and a short-circuit termination at the outer
radius.
Section 12.8 reviews the theory of the cylindrical waveguide. Waveguides are extended hollow
metal structures of uniform cross section. Traveling waves are contained and transported in a
waveguide; the frequency and field distribution is determined by the shape and dimensions of the
guide. A lumped circuit element model is used to demonstrate approximate characteristics of
guided wave propagation, such as dispersion and cutoff. The waveguide equations are then solved
exactly.
The final two sections treat the topic of slow-wave structures, waveguides with boundaries that
vary periodically in the longitudinal direction. They transport waves with phase velocity equal to
or less than the speed of light. The waves are therefore useful for continuous acceleration of
synchronized charged particles. A variety of models are used to illustrate the physics of the
iris-loaded waveguide, a structure incorporated in many traveling wave accelerators. The
interpretation of dispersion relationships is discussed in Section 12.10. Plots of frequency versus
wavenumber yield the phase velocity and group velocity of traveling waves. It is essential to
determine these quantities in order to design high-energy resonant accelerators. As an example,
the dispersion relationship of the iris-loaded waveguide is derived.
Circuits consisting of a harmonic voltage source driving resistors, capacitors, and inductors, are
described by an equation of the form
α (di/dt) β i γ idt V0 cosωt. (12.1)
m
The solution of Eq. (12.1) has homogeneous and particular parts. Transitory behavior must
357
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
include the homogenous part. Only the particular part need be included if we restrict our attention
to CW (continuous wave) excitation. The particular solution has the form
i(t) I0 cos(ωtφ). (12.2)
I0 and φ depend on the magnitude of the driving voltage, the elements of the circuit, and ω.
Because Eq. (12.1) describes a physical system, the solution must reflect a physical answer.
Therefore, I0 and φ are real numbers. They can be determined by direct substitution of Eq. (12.2)
into Eq. (12.1). In most cases, this procedure entails considerable manipulation of trigonometric
identities.
The mathematics to determine the particular solution of Eq. (12.1) and other circuit equations
with a single driving frequency can be simplified considerably through the use of the complex
exponential notation for trigonometric functions. In using complex exponential notation, we must
remember the following facts:
1. All physical problems must have an answer that is a real number. Complex numbers
have no physical meaning.
3. The answers to physical problems are often written in terms of complex numbers. This
convention is used because the results can be written more compactly and because there
are well-defined rules for extracting the real-number solution.
where j 1 . The symbol j is used to avoid confusion with the current, i. The inverse
relationship is
exp(jωt) cosωt jsinωt. (12.4)
In Eq. (12.1), the expression V0[exp(jωt)exp(jωt)]/2 is substituted for the voltage, and the
current is assumed to have the form
i(t) A exp(jωt) B exp(jωt). (12.5)
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
The coefficients A and B may be complex numbers if there is a phase difference between the
voltage and the current. They are determined by substituting Eq. (12.6) into Eq. (12.1) and
recognizing that the terms involving exp(jωt) and exp(-jωt) must be separately equal if the
solution is to hold at all times. This procedure yields
A (jωV0/2) / (αω2 jωβ γ), (12.7)
The complex conjugate of a complex number is the number with -j substituted for j. Note that B is
the complex conjugate of A. The relationship is denoted B = A*.
Equations (12.7) and (12.8) represent a formal mathematical solution of the problem; we must
rewrite the solution in terms of real numbers to understand the physical behavior of the system
described by Eq. (12.1). Expressing Eq. (12.2)in complex notation and setting the result equal to
Eq. (12.6), we find that
Aexp(jωt) A exp(jωt) I0 [exp(jωt)exp(φ) exp(jωt)exp(φ)]/2. (12.9)
Terms involving exp(jωt) and exp(-jωt) must be separately equal. This implies that
A I0 exp(jφ)/2 I0 (cosφ jsinφ)/2 (12.10)
by Eq. (12.5). The magnitude of the real solution is determined by multiplying Eq. (12.10) by its
complex conjugate:
A @ A I02 (cosφjsinφ)/2,
or
I0 2 A @ A . (12.11)
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
This is the familiar resonance solution for a driven, damped harmonic oscillator.
Part of the effort in solving the above problem was redundant. Because the coefficient of the
second part of the solution must equal the complex conjugate of the first, we could have used a
trial solution of the form
i(t) A exp(jωt). (12.13)
We arrive at the correct answer if we remember that Eq. (12.13) represents only half of a valid
solution. Once A is determined, the real solution can be extracted by applying the rules of Eq.
(12.11) and (12.12). Similarly, in describing an electromagnetic wave traveling in the +z direction,
we will use the form E - E0 exp[j(ωtkz)] . The form is a shortened notation for the function
E - E0 exp[j(ωtkz)] E0 exp[j(ωtkz)] - E0 cos(ωtkzφ) where E0 is a real number. The
function for a wave traveling in the negative z direction is abbreviated E - E0 exp[j(ωtkz)] .
Complex exponential notation is useful for solving lumped element circuits with CW excitation. In
this circumstance, voltages and currents in the circuit vary harmonically at the driving frequency
and differ only in amplitude and phase. In complex exponential notation, the voltage and current
in a section of a circuit are related by
V/I Z. (12.14)
The quantity Z, the impedance, is a complex number that contains information on amplitude and
phase. Impedance is a function of frequency.
The impedance of a resistor R is simply
ZR R. (12.15)
A real impedance implies that the voltage and current are in phase as shown in Figure 12.1a. The
time-averaged value of VI through a resistor is nonzero; a resistor absorbs energy.
The impedance of a capacitor can be calculated from Eq. (9.5). If the voltage across the
capacitor is
V(t) V0 cosωt, (12.16)
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Equation (12.17) specifies the magnitude and amplitude of voltage across versus current through
a capacitor. There is a 90E phase shift between the voltage and current; the current leads the
voltage, as shown in Figure 12.1b. The capacitor is a reactive element; the time average of V(t)i(t)
is zero. In complex exponential notation, the impedance can be expressed as a single complex
number
ZC (1/ωC) exp(jπ/2) j/ωC (12.18)
if the convention of Eq. (12.13) is adopted. The impedance of a capacitor has negative imaginary
part. This implies that the current leads the voltage. The impedance is inversely proportional to
frequency; a capacitor acts like a short circuit at high frequency.
The impedance of an inductor can be extracted from the equation V(t) L di(t)/dt. Again,
taking voltage in the form of Eq. (12.16), the current is
V0 sinωt V0 cos(ωtπ/2
i(t) .
ωL ωL
The current lags the voltage, as shown in Figure 12.1c. The complex impedance of an inductor is
361
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Zl jωL. (12.19)
The impedance of an inductor is proportional to frequency; inductors act like open circuits at high
frequency.
The impedance is purely imaginary; therefore, the load is reactive. At low frequency
( (ω < 1/ LC) the impedance is positive, implying that the circuit is inductive. In other words,
current flow through the inductor dominates the behavior of the circuit. At high frequency, the
362
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
impedance is negative and the circuit acts as a capacitive load. When ω ω0 1/ LC , the
impedance of the combined capacitor and inductor becomes infinite. This condition is called
resonance; the quantity ω0 is the resonant frequency. In this circumstance, the reactive part of the
total circuit of Figure 12.2 draws no current when a voltage is applied across the resistor. All
current from the generator flows into the resistive load. The reactive part of the circuit draws no
current at ω = ω0 because current through the inductor is supplied completely by displacement
current through the capacitor. At resonance, the net current from the generator is minimized for a
given voltage. This is the optimum condition for energy transfer if the generator has nonzero
output impedance.
The circuit of Figure 12.3 illustrates power losses in resonant circuits. Again, an inductor and
capacitor are combined in parallel. The difference is that the inductor is imperfect. There are
resistive losses associated with current flow. The losses are represented by a series resistor. The
impedance of the circuit is
Z(ω) [jωC 1/(jωLR)]1 [jωLR] / [(1ω2LC) jωRC].
Converting the denominator in the above equation to a real number, we find that the magnitude of
the impedance is proportional to
Z(ω) 1/[(1ω2/ω0)2 (ωRC)2].
2
- (12.22)
Figure 12.4 shows a plot of total current flowing in the reactive part of the circuit versus current
input from the generator. Two cases are plotted: resonant circuits with low damping and high
damping. Note that the impedance is no longer infinite at ω 1/ LC . For a cavity with resistive
losses, power must be supplied continuously to support oscillations. A circuit is in resonance
when large reactive currents flow in response to input from a harmonic power generator. In other
words, the amplitude of electromagnetic oscillations is high. Inspection of Figure 12.4 and Eq.
(12.22) shows that there is a finite response width for a driven damped resonant circuit. The
frequency width, ∆ω ωω0 , to reduce the peak impedance by a factor of 5 is
363
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
∆ω R
. (12.23)
ω0 LC
In the limit of low damping near resonance, the reactive current exchanged between the inductor
and capacitor of the circuit of Figure 12.3 is much larger than the current input from the
generator. The reactive current is i(t) I0 exp(jωt) , where I0 is a slowly decreasing function of
time. The circuit energy, U, is equal to the energy stored in the inductor at peak current:
364
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
U LI0I0/2 (12.25)
Energy is lost to the resistor. The power lost to the resistor (averaged over a cycle) is
Substituting Eqs. (12.25) and (12.26) into Eq. (12.24), the Q value for the LRC circuit of Figure
12.3 is
Q ω0L/R L/C / R. (12.27)
In an underdamped circuit, the characteristic impedance of the LC circuit is large compared to the
resistance, so that Q » 1.
Energy balance can be used to determine the impedance that the circuit of Figure 12.3 presents
to the generator at resonance. The input voltage V0 is equal to the voltage across the capacitor.
The input voltage is related to the stored energy in the circuit by
U CV02/2 V02 / 2ω0 L/C. (12.28)
By the definition of Q, the input voltage is related to the average power loss by
P V02 / 2Q L/C. (12.29)
The same result can be obtained directly from the general impedance expression in the limit
L/C » R . The impedance is much larger than R. This reflects the fact that the reactive current is
much larger than the current from the generator. In terms of Q, the resonance width of an
365
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
366
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Resonant cavities used for particle acceleration have many features in common with the circuits
we have studied in this section. Figure 12.5 illustrates a particularly easy case to analyze, the
reentrant cavity. This cavity is used in systems with space constraints, such as klystrons. It
oscillates at relatively low frequency for its size. The reentrant cavity can be divided into
predominantly capacitive and predominantly inductive regions. In the central region, there is a
narrow gap. The capacitance is large and the inductance is small. A harmonic voltage generator
connected at the center of the cavity induces displacement current. The enlarged outer region acts
as a single-turn inductor. Real current flows around the wall to complete the circuit. If the walls
are not superconducting, the inductor has a series resistance.
Assume that there is a load, such as a beam, on the axis of the cavity. Neglecting cavity
resistance, the circuit is the same as that of Figure 12.2. If the generator frequency is low, most of
the input current flows around the metal wall (leakage current). The cavity is almost a short
circuit. At high frequency, most of the current flows across the capacitor as displacement current.
At the resonance frequency of the cavity, the cavity impedance is infinite and all the generator
energy is directed into the load. In this case, the cavity can be useful for particle acceleration.
When the cavity walls have resistivity, the cavity acts as a high impedance in parallel to the beam
load. The generator must supply energy for cavity losses as well as energy to accelerate the beam.
The resonant cavity accelerator has much in common with the cavity of an induction linear
accelerator. The goal is to accelerate particles to high energy without generating large
electrostatic voltages. The outside of the accelerator is a conductor; voltage appears only on the
beamline. Electrostatic voltage is canceled on the outside of the accelerator by inductively
generated fields. The major difference is that leakage current is inhibited in the induction linear
accelerator by ferromagnetic inductors. In the resonant accelerator, a large leakage current is
maintained by reactive elements. The linear induction accelerator has effective inductive isolation
over a wide frequency range; the resonant accelerator operates at a single frequency. The voltage
on the axis of a resonant cavity is bipolar. Therefore, particles are accelerated only during the
proper half-cycle. If an accelerator is constructed by stacking a series of resonant cavities, the
crossing times for particles must be synchronized to the cavity oscillations.
The resonant frequency of the reentrant cavity can be estimated easily. Dimensions are
illustrated in Figure 12.5. The capacitance of the central region is C εoπ R0 /d, and the
2
The resonant modes of a cavity are the natural modes for electromagnetic oscillations. Once
excited, a resonant mode will continue indefinitely in the absence of resistivity with no further
input of energy. In this section, we shall calculate modes of the most common resonant structure
367
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
encountered in particle accelerator applications, the cylindrical cavity (Fig. 12.6). The cavity
length is denoted d and radius R0.In the initial treatment of resonant modes, we shall neglect the
perturbing effects of power feeds, holes for beam transport, and wall resistivity. The cylindrical
cavity has some features in common with the reentrant cavity of Section 2.2. A capacitance
between the upstream and downstream walls carries displacement current. The circuit is
completed by return current along the walls. Inductance is associated with the flow of current.
The main difference from the reentrant cavity is that regions of electric field and magnetic field are
intermixed. In this case, a direct solution of the Maxwell equations is more effective than an
extension of the lumped element analogy. This approach demonstrates that resonant cavities can
support a variety of oscillation modes besides the low-frequency mode that we identified for the
reentrant cavity.
We seek solutions for electric and magnetic fields that vary in time according to exp(jωt). We
must use the full set of coupled Maxwell equations [Eqs. (3.1l)-(3.14)]. We allow the possibility
of a uniform fill of dielectric or ferromagnetic material; these materials are assumed to be linear,
characterized by parameters ε and µ. The field equations are
L × E MB/Mt 0, (12.34)
L @ E 0, (12.35)
L × B εµ ME/Mt 0, (12.36)
L @ B 0. (12.37)
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
L
2
E (1/v 2) M
2
E/Mt 2 0, (12.38)
L
2
B (1/v 2) M
2
B/Mt 2 0. (12.39)
The features of electromagnetic oscillations can be found by solving either Eq. (12.38) or
(12.39) for E or B. The associated magnetic or electric fields can then be determined by
substitution into Eq. (12.34) or (12.36). Metal boundaries constrain the spatial variations of fields.
The wave equations have solutions only for certain discrete values of frequency. The values of
resonant frequencies depend on how capacitance and inductance are partitioned in the mode.
The general solutions of Eqs. (12.38) and (12.39) in various cavity geometries are discussed in
texts on electrodynamics. We shall concentrate only on resonant modes of a cylindrical cavity that
are useful for particle acceleration. We shall solve Eq. (12.38) for the electric field since there are
easily identified boundary conditions. The following assumptions are adopted:
The last two assumptions imply that the electric field has the form
E E z(r) exp(jωt) uz. (12.41)
Using the cylindrical coordinate form of the Laplacian operator, dropping terms involving
azimuthal and longitudinal derivatives, and substituting Eq. (12.41), we find that the class of
resonant modes under consideration satisfies the equation
d 2E z(r)
ω2 Ez(r) 0.
dEz(r) 2
1 (12.42)
dr 2 r dr v
Equation (12.42) is expressed in terms of total derivatives because there are only radial variations.
Equation (12.42) is a special form of the Bessel equation. The solution can be expressed in terms
369
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
of the zero-order Bessel functions, J0(knr) and Y0(knr). The Y0 function is eliminated by the
requirement that Ez has a finite value on the axis. The solution is
Ezn(r,t) E0n J0(knr) exp(jωt), (12.43)
370
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
wavenumber kn by
ωn vkn. (12.44)
Magnetic field is directed along the θ direction. Assuming time variation exp(jωt) and substituting
from Eq. (12.43),
jωnBθn dEzn/dr E0n dJ0(knr)/dr. (12.46)
Magnetic field variation for the TM010 mode is plotted in Figure 12.7. The magnetic field is zero
on the axis. Moving outward in radius, Bθ increases linearly. It is proportional to the integral of
axial displacement current from 0 to r. Toward the outer radius, there is little additional
contribution of the displacement current. The l/r factor [see Eq. (4.40)] dominates, and the
magnitude of Bθ decreases toward the wall.
In this section, we consider some of the physical implications of the solutions for resonant
oscillations in a cylindrical cavity. The oscillations treated in the previous section are called TM0n0
modes. The term TM (transverse magnetic) indicates that magnetic fields are normal to the
longitudinal direction. The other class of oscillations, TE modes, have longitudinal components of
B, and Ez = 0. The first number in the subscript is the azimuthal mode number; it is zero for
azimuthally symmetric modes. The second number is the radial mode number. The radial mode
number minus one is the number of nodes in the radial variation of Ez. The third number is the
longitudinal mode number. It is zero in the example of Section 12.3 because Ez is constant in the z
direction. The wavenumber and frequency of TM0n0 modes depends only on R0, not d. This is not
generally true for other types of modes.
TM0n0 modes are optimal for particle acceleration. The longitudinal electric field is uniform
along the propagation direction of the beam and its magnitude is maximum on axis. The
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
transverse magnetic field is zero on axis; this is important for electron acceleration where
transverse magnetic fields could deflect the beam. TM modes with nonzero longitudinal
wavenumber (p 0) have axial electric field of the form Ez(0,z) sin(pπx/d) ; it is clear that the
acceleration of particles crossing the cavity is reduced for these modes.
Figure 12.8 clarifies the nature of TM0n0 modes in terms of lumped circuit element
approximations. Displacement currents and real currents are indicated along with equivalent
circuit models. At values of n greater than 1, the cavity is divided into n interacting resonant LC
372
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
circuits. The capacitance and inductance of each circuit is reduced by a factor of about l/n;
therefore, the resonant frequency of the combination of elements is increased by a factor
close to n.
Resonant cavities are usually constructed from copper or copper-plated steel for the highest
conductivity. Nonetheless, effects of resistivity are significant because of the large reactive
current. Resistive energy loss from the flow of real current in the walls is concentrated in the
inductive regions of the cavity; hence, the circuit of Figure 12.3 is a good first-order model of an
imperfect cavity. Current penetrates into the wall a distance equal to the skin depth [Eq. (10.7)].
Power loss is calculated with the assumption that the modes approximate those of an ideal cavity.
The surface current per length on the walls is Js Bθ(r,z,t)/µ o . Assuming that the current is
distributed over a skin depth, power loss can be summed over the surface of the cavity. Power
loss clearly depends on mode structure through the distribution of magnetic fields. The Q value
for the TM010 mode of a cylindrical resonant cavity is
d/δ
Q (12.48)
1 d/R0
where the skin depth δ is a function of the frequency and wall material. In a copper cavity
oscillating at f = 1 GHz, the skin depth is only 2 µm. This means that the inner wall of the cavity
must be carefully plated or polished; otherwise, current flow will be severely perturbed by surface
irregularities lowering the cavity Q. With a skin depth of 2 µm, Eq. (12.48) implies a Q value
of 3 × 104 in a cylindrical resonant cavity of radius 12 cm and length 4 cm. This is a very high
value compared to resonant circuits composed of lumped elements. Equation (12.32) implies that
the bandwidth for exciting a resonance
∆f/f0 1/Q 3 × 105.
An rf power source that drives a resonant cavity must operate with very stable output frequency.
For f0 = 1 GHz, the allowed frequency drift is less than 33 kHz.
The total power lost to the cavity walls can be determined from Eq. (12.24) if the stored energy
in the cavity, U, is known. The quantity can be calculated from Eq. (12.43) for the TM010 mode;
we assume the calculation is performed at the time when magnetic fields are zero.
d R0
U dz
2 2
2πrdr (εEo /2) J0 (2.405r/R0) (πR02d) (εE02/2) J12(2.405). (12.49)
m m0
0
A cylindrical cavity can support a variety of resonant modes, generally at higher frequency than
the fundamental accelerating mode. Higher-order modes are generally undesirable. They do not
373
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
374
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
contribute to particle acceleration; the energy shunted into higher-order modes is wasted.
Sometimes, they interfere with particle acceleration; modes with transverse field components may
induce beam deflections and particle losses.
As an example of an alternate mode, consider the lowest frequency TE mode, the TE111 mode.
Figure 12.9 shows a sketch of the electric and magnetic fields. The displacement current oscillates
from side to side across the diameter of the cavity. Magnetic fields are wrapped around the
displacement current and have components in the axial direction. The distribution of capacitance
and inductance for TE111 oscillations is also shown in Figure 12.9. The mode frequency depends
on the cavity length (Fig. 12.10). As d increases over the range d « R0 to d $ R0 , there is a
large increase in the capacitance of the cavity for displacement current flow across a diameter.
Thus, the resonant frequency drops. For d » R0 , return current flows mainly back along the
circular wall of the cavity. Therefore, the ratio of electric to magnetic field energy in the cavity
approaches a constant value, independent of d. Inspection of Figure 2.10 shows that in long
cavities, the TE111 mode has a lower frequency than the TM010. Care must be taken not to excite
the TE111 mode in parameter regions where there is mode degeneracy. The term degeneracy
375
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
indicates that two modes have the same resonant frequency. Mode selection is a major problem in
the complex structures used in linear ion accelerators. Generally, the cavities are long cylinders
with internal structures; the mode plot is considerably more complex than Figure 12.10. There is a
greater possibility for mode degeneracy and power coupling between modes. In some cases, it is
necessary to add metal structures to the cavity, which selectively damp competing modes.
Power must be coupled into resonant cavities to maintain electromagnetic oscillations when there
is resistive damping or a beam load. The topic of power coupling to resonant cavities involves
detailed application of microwave theory. In this section, the approach is to achieve an
understanding of basic power coupling processes by studying three simple examples.
We have already been introduced to a cavity with the power feed located on axis. The feed
drives a beam and supplies energy lost to the cavity walls. In this case, power is electrically
coupled to the cavity because the current in the power feeds interacts predominantly with electric
fields. Although this geometry is never used for driving accelerator cavities, there is a practical
application of the inverse process of driving cavity oscillations by a beam. Figure 12.11a shows a
klystron, a microwave generator. An on-axis electron beam is injected across the cavity. The
electron beam has time-varying current with a strong Fourier component at the resonant
frequency of the cavity, ω0. We will consider only this component of the current and represent it
as a harmonic current source. The cavity has a finite Q, resulting from wall resistance and
extraction of microwave energy.
The complete circuit model for the TM010 mode is shown in Figure 12.llb. The impedance
presented to the component of the driving beam current with frequency ω is
Assuming that ω ω0 1/ LC and that the cavity has high Q, Eq. (12.50) reduces to
with Q given by Eq. (12.27). The impedance is resistive; the voltage oscillation induced is in
phase with the driving current so that energy extraction is maximized. Equation (12.51) shows
that the cavity acts as a step-down transformer when the power feed is on axis. Power at low
current and high voltage (impedance Z02/R) drives a high current through resistance R.
In applications to high-energy accelerators, the aim is to use resonant cavities as step-up
transformers. Ideally, power should be inserted at low impedance and coupled to a low-current
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
beam at high voltage. This process is accomplished when energy is magnetically coupled into a
cavity. With magnetic coupling, the power input is close to the outer radius of the cavity;
therefore, interaction is predominantly through magnetic fields. A method for coupling energy to
the TM010 mode is illustrated in Figure 12.12a. A loop is formed on the end of a transmission line.
The loop is orientated to encircle the azimuthal magnetic flux of the TM010 mode. (A loop
optimized to drive the TE111 mode would be rotated 90E to couple to radial magnetic fields.)
We shall first consider the inverse problem of extracting the energy of a TM010 oscillation
through the loop. Assume that the loop couples only a small fraction of the cavity energy per
oscillation period. In this case, the magnetic fields of the cavity are close to the unperturbed
distribution. The magnetic field at the loop position, ρ, is
where B0(ρ,t) is a slowly varying function of time. The spatial variation is given by Eq. (12.47).
The loop is attached to a transmission line that is terminated by a matched resistor R.
The voltage induced at the loop output depends on whether the loop current significantly affects
the magnetic flux inside the loop. As we saw in the discussion of the Rogowski loop (Section
9.14), the magnetic field inside the loop is close to the applied field when L/R « 1/ωo , where L is
the loop inductance and 1/ωo is the time scale for magnetic field variations. In this limit, the
magnitude of the induced voltage around a loop of area Al is V AlωoB0 . The extracted power is
377
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
P (A lB0ω)2/2R. (12.53)
Power coupled out of the cavity increases as Al2 in this regime. At the opposite extreme
( L/R » 1/ωo ), the loop voltage is shifted 90E in phase with respect to the magnetic field.
Application of Eq. (9.124) shows that the extracted power is approximately
P [AlBo/(L/R)]2/2R. (12.54)
Because the loop inductance is proportional to Al, the power is independent of the loop area in
this limit. Increasing Al increases perturbations of the cavity modes without increasing power
output. The optimum size for the coupling loop corresponds to maximum power transfer with
minimum perturbation, or L/R - 1/ωo .
378
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Note that in Eqs. (12.53) and (12.54), power loss from the cavity is proportional to B02 and is
therefore proportional to the stored energy in the cavity, U. The quantity U is governed by the
equation
dU/dt - U. (12.55)
The stored energy decays exponentially; therefore, losses to the loop can be characterized by a Q
factor Ql. If there are also resistive losses in the cavity characterized by Qc, then the total cavity Q
is
Q (1/Q l 1/Qc)1. (12.56)
We can now proceed to develop a simple circuit model to describe power transfer through a
magnetically coupled loop into a cavity with a resistive load on axis. The treatment is based on
our study of the transformer (Section 9.2). The equivalent circuit model is illustrated in Figure
12.12b. The quantity R represents the on-axis load. We consider the loop as the primary and the
flow of current around the outside of the cavity as the secondary. The primary and secondary are
linked together through shared magnetic flux. The loop area is much smaller than the
cross-section area occupied by cavity magnetic fields. An alternate view of this situation is that
there is a large secondary inductance, only part of which is linked to the primary.
Following the derivation of Section 9.2, we can construct the equivalent circuit seen from the
primary input (Fig. 12.12c). The part of the cavity magnetic field enclosed in the loop is
represented by Ll; the secondary series inductance is L - Ll. We assume that energy transfer per
oscillation period is small and that Ll « L . Therefore, the magnetic fields are close to those of an
unperturbed cavity. This assumption allows a simple estimate of Ll.
To begin, we neglect the effect of the shunt inductance Ll in the circuit of Figure 12.12c and
calculate the impedance the cavity presents at the loop input. The result is
Damping must be small for an oscillatory solution. This is true if the load resistance is high, or
R » LC . Assuming this limit and taking ω = ωo, Eq. (12.57) becomes
Equation (12.58) shows that the cavity presents a purely resistive load with impedance much
smaller than R. The combination of coupling loop and cavity act as a step-up transformer.
We must still consider the effect of the primary inductance in the circuit of Figure 12.12c. The
best match to typical power sources occurs when the total input impedance is resistive. A simple
379
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
method of matching is to add a shunt capacitor Cl, with a value chosen so that ClLl = LC. In this
case, the parallel combination of Ll and Cl has infinite impedance at resonance, and the total load
is (L/C)/R. Matching can also be performed by adjustment of the transmission fine leading to the
cavity. We shall see in Section 12.6 that transmission lines can act as impedance transformers. The
total impedance will appear to be a pure resistance at the generator for input at a specific
frequency if the generator is connected to the cavity through a transmission line of the
proper length and characteristic impedance.
In the treatment of the transmission line in Section 9.8, we considered propagating voltage pulses
with arbitrary waveform. The pulses can be resolved into frequency components by Fourier
analysis. If the waveform is limited to a single frequency, the description of electromagnetic signal
propagation on a transmission line is considerably simplified. In complex exponential notation,
current is proportional to voltage. The proportionality constant is a complex number, containing
information on wave amplitude and phase. The advantage is that wave propagation problems can
be solved algebraically, rather than through differential equations.
Voltage waveforms in a transmission line move at a velocity v 1/ εµ along the line. A
harmonic disturbance in a transmission line may have components that travel in the positive or
negative directions. A single-frequency voltage oscillation measured by a stationary observer has
the form
V(z,t) V exp[jω(tz/v)] V exp[jω(tz/v)]. (12.59)
Equation (12.59) states that points of constant V move along the line at speed v in either the
positive or negative z directions. As we found in Section 9.9, the current associated with a wave
traveling in either the positive or negative direction is proportional to the voltage. The constant of
proportionality is a real number, Zo. The total current associated with the voltage disturbance of
Eq. (12.59) is
I(z,t) (V/Z o) exp[jω(tz/v)] (V/Zo) exp[jω(tz/v)]. (12.60)
Note the minus sign in the second term of Eq. (12.60). It is included to preserve the convention
that current is positive when positive waves move in the +z direction. A voltage wave with
positive voltage moving in the -z direction has negative current. The total impedance at a point is,
by definition
Z V(z,t)/I(z,t). (12.61)
380
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
If there are components of V(z,t) moving in both the positive and negative directions, Z may not
be a real number. Phase differences arise because the sum of V+ and V- may not be in phase with
the sum of I+ and I-.
We will illustrate transmission line properties in the frequency-domain by the calculation of
wave reflections at a discontinuity. The geometry is illustrated in Figure 12.13. Two infinite length
transmission lines are connected at z = 0. Voltage waves at angular ω frequency travel down the
line with characteristic impedance Zo toward the line with impedance ZL. If ZL = Zo, the waves
travel onward with no change and disappear down the second line. If ZL
Zo, we must consider
the possibility that wave reflections take place at the discontinuity. In this case, three wave
components must be included:
1. The incident voltage wave, of form Vexp[jω(tz/v)] is specified. The current of the
wave is (V/Zo)exp[jω(tz/v)] .
2. Some of the incident wave energy may continue through the connection into the second
line. The wave moves in the +z direction and is represented by VLexp[jω(tz/v )] . The
current of the transmitted wave is (VL/ZL)exp[jω(tz/v )] . There is no negatively directed
wave in the second line because the line has infinite length.
The magnitudes of the transmitted and reflected waves are related to the incident wave and the
properties of the lines by applying the following conditions at the connection point (z = 0):
381
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
1.The voltage in the first line must equal the voltage in the second line at the connection.
2. All charge that flows into the connection must flow out.
The two conditions can be expressed mathematically in terms of the incident, transmitted, and
reflected waves.
Canceling the time dependence, Eqs. (12.62) and (12.63) can be solved to relate the reflected and
transmitted voltages to the incident voltage:
Equations (12.64) and (12.65) define the reflection coefficient ρ and the transmission coefficient
τ. The results are independent of frequency; therefore, they apply to transmission and reflection of
voltage pulses with many frequency, components. Finally, Eqs. (12.64) and (12.65) also hold for
reflection and absorption of waves at a resistive termination, because an infinite length
transmission line is indistinguishable from a resistor with R = ZL.
A short-circuit termination has ZL = 0. In this case, ρ = -1 and τ = 0. The wave is reflected with
inverted polarity, in agreement with Section 9.10. There is no transmitted wave. When ZL Y 4
there is again no transmitted wave and the reflected wave has the same voltage as the incident
wave. Finally, if ZL = Zo, there is no reflected wave and τ = 1; the lines are matched.
As a final topic, we consider transformations of impedance along a transmission line. As shown
in Figure 12.14, assume there is a load ZL at z = 0 at the end of a transmission line of length l and
characteristic impedance Zo. The load may consist of any combination of resistors, inductors, and
capacitors; therefore, ZL may be a complex number. A power source, located at the point z = -l
produces a harmonic input voltage, Voexp(jωt). The goal is to determine how much current the
source must supply in order to support the input voltage. This is equivalent to calculating the
impedance Z(-l).
The impedance at the generator is generally different from ZL. In this sense, the transmission line
is an impedance transformer. This property is useful for matching power generators to loads that
contain reactive elements. In this section, we shall find a mathematical expression for the
transformed impedance. In the next section, we shall investigate some of the implications of the
result .
382
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Voltage waves are represented as in Eq. (12.59). Both a positive wave traveling from the
generator to the load and a reflected wave must be included. All time variations have the form
exp(jωt). Factoring out the time dependence, the voltage and current at z = 0 are
V(0) V V, (12.66)
Furthermore, the treatment of reflections at a line termination [Eq. (12.64)] implies that
V/V (ZLZo)/(ZLZ o). (12.70)
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
where ω/v 2π/λ. . In summary, the expressions of Eq. (12.71) give the impedance at the input
of a transmission line of length l terminated by a load ZL.
In this section, the formula for the transformation of impedance by a transmission line [Eq.
(12.71)] is applied to problems related to resonant cavities. To begin, consider terminations at the
end of a transmission line with characteristic impedance Zo and length l. The termination ZL is
located at z = 0 and the voltage generator at z = -l. If ZL is a resistor with R = Zo, Eq. (1 2.71)
reduces to Z(-l) = Zo, independent of the length of the line. In this case, there is no reflected wave,
The important property of the matched transmission line is that the voltage wave at the
termination is identical to the input voltage wave delayed by time interval l/v. Matched lines are
used to conduct diapostic signals without distortion.
Another interesting case is the short-circuit termination, ZL = 0. The impedance at the line input
is
Z(l) jZ o tan(2πl/λ). (12.72)
The input impedance is zero when l 0, λ/2, 3λ/2,... . An interesting result is that the shorted
line has infinite input impedance (open circuit) when
l λ/4, 3λ/4, 5λ/4,... (12.73)
A line with length given by Eq. (12.73) is called a quarter wave line.
Figure 12.15 illustrates the analogy between a cylindrical resonant cavity and a quarter wave
line. A shorted radial transmission line of length l has power input at frequency ω at the inner
diameter., Power flow is similar to that of Figure 12.2. If the frequency of the input power
matches one of the resonant frequencies of the line, then the line has an infinite impedance and
power is transferred completely to the load on axis. The resonant frequencies of the radial
transmission line are
These frequencies differ somewhat from those of Table 12.1 because of geometric differences
between the cavities.
The quarter wave line has positive and negative-going waves. The positive wave reflects at the
short-circuit termination giving a negative-going wave with 180E phase shift. The voltages of the
waves subtract at the termination and add at the input (z = -l). The summation of the voltage
waves is a standing-wave pattern:
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
At resonance, the current of the two waves at z = l is equal and opposite. The line draws no
current and has infinite impedance. At angular frequencies below ω1, inspection of Eq. (12.72)
shows that Z - +j; thus, the shorted transmission line acts like an inductor. For frequencies above
w1, the line has Z - -j; it acts as a capacitive load. This behavior repeats cyclically about higher
resonant frequencies.
A common application of transmission lines is power matching from a harmonic voltage
generator to a load containing reactive elements. We have already studied one example of power
matching, coupling of energy into a resonant cavity by a magnetic loop (Section 12.5). Another
example is illustrated in Figure 12.16. An ac generator drives an acceleration gap. Assume, for
simplicity, that the beam load is modeled as a resistor R. The generator efficiency is optimized
when the total load is resistive. If the load has reactive components, the generator must supply
displacement currents that lead to internal power dissipation. Reactances have significant effects
at high frequency. For instance, displacement current is transported through the capacitance
between the electrodes of the accelerating gaps, Cg. The displacement current is comparable to
the load current when ω - 1/RCg . In principle, it is unnecessary for the power supply to support
displacement currents because energy is not absorbed by reactances. The strategy is to add circuit
elements than can support the reactive current, leaving the generator to supply power only to the
385
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
resistive load. This is accomplished in the acceleration gap by adding a shunt inductance with
value L 1/ω2oCg , where ωo is the generator frequency. The improvement of the Wideroe linac
by the addition of resonant cavities (Section 14.2) is an example of this type of matching.
Section 12.5 shows that a coupling loop in a resonant cavity is a resistive load at the driving
frequency if the proper shunt capacitance is added. Matching can also be accomplished by
adjusting the length of the transmission line connecting the generator to the loop. At certain
values of line length, the reactances of the transmission line act in concert with the reactances of
the loop to support displacement current internally. The procedure for finding the correct length
consists of adjusting parameters in Eq. (12.71) with Z1 equal to the loop impedance until the
imaginary part of the right-hand side is equal to zero. In this circumstance, the generator sees a
purely resistive load. The search for a match is aided by use of the Smith chart; the procedure is
reviewed in most texts on microwaves.
12.8 WAVEGUIDES
Resonant cavities have finite extent in the axial direction. Electromagnetic waves are reflected at
the axial boundaries, giving rise to the standing-wave patterns that constitute resonant modes. We
shall remove the boundaries in this section and study electromagnetic oscillations that travel in the
axial direction. A structure that contains a propagating electromagnetic wave is called a
waveguide. Consideration is limited to metal structures with uniform cross section and infinite
extent in the z direction. In particular, we will concentrate on the cylindrical waveguide, which is
simply a hollow tube.
386
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Waveguides transport electromagnetic energy. Waveguides are often used in accelerators to
couple power from a microwave source to resonant cavities. Furthermore, it is possible to
transport particle beams in a waveguide in synchronism with the wave phase velocity so that they
continually gain energy. Waveguides used for direct particle acceleration must support slow
waves with phase velocity equal to or less than the speed of light. Slow-wave structures have
complex boundaries that vary periodically in the axial direction; the treatment of slow waves is
deferred to Section 12.9.
Single-frequency waves in a guide have fields of the form exp[j(ωtkz)] or exp[j(ωtkz)] .
Electromagnetic oscillations move along the waveguide at velocity ω/k. In contrast to
transmission lines, waveguides do not have a center conductor. This difference influences the
nature of propagating waves in the following ways:
3. The phase velocity of waves in a waveguide is greater than the speed of light. This does
not violate the principles of relativity since information can be carried only by modulation
of wave amplitude or frequency. The propagation velocity of frequency modulations is the
group velocity, which is always less than the speed of light in a waveguide.
The properties of waveguides are easily demonstrated by a lumped circuit element analogy. We
can generate a circuit model for a waveguide by starting from the transmission line model
introduced in Section 9.9. A coaxial transmission line is illustrated in Figure 12.17a. At
frequencies low compared to 1/(RoRi) εµ , the field pattern is the familiar one with radial
electric fields and azimuthal magnetic fields. This field is a TEM (transverse electric and magnetic)
mode; both the electric and magnetic fields are transverse to the direction of propagation.
Longitudinal current is purely real, carried by the center conductor. Displacement current flows
radially; longitudinal voltage differences result from inductive fields. The equivalent circuit model
for a section of line is shown in Figure 12.17a.
The field pattern may be modified when the radius of the center conductor is reduced and the
frequency is increased. Consider the limit where the wavelength of the electromagnetic
disturbance, λ 2π/k , is comparable to or less than the outer radius of the line. In this case,
voltage varies along the high-inductance center conductor on a length scale # Ro. Electric field
lines may directly connect regions along the outer conductor (Fig. 12.17b). The field pattern is no
longer a TEM mode because there are longitudinal components of electric field. Furthermore, a
portion of the longitudinal current flow in the transmission line is carried by displacement current.
An equivalent circuit model for the coaxial transmission line at high frequency is shown in Figure
387
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
12.17b. The capacitance between the inner and outer conductors, C2, is reduced. The flow of real
current through inductor L2 is supplemented by axial displacement current through the series
combination of C1 and L1. The inductance L1 is included because displacement currents generate
magnetic fields.
As the diameter of the center conductor is reduced, increasing L2, a greater fraction of the axial
current is carried by displacement current. The limit where Ri Y 0 is illustrated in Figure 12.17c.
All axial current flow is via displacement current; L2 is removed from the mode. The field pattern
and equivalent circuit model are shown. We can use the impedance formalism to find the
appropriate wave equations for the circuit of Figure 12.17c. Assume that there is a wave
moving in the + z direction and take variations of voltage and current as
388
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
The waveguide is separated into sections of length ∆z. The inductance of a section is l1∆z where l1
is the inductance per unit length. The quantity C2 equals c2∆z, where c2 is the shunt capacitance
per unit length in farads per meter. The series capacitance is inversely proportional to length, so
that C1 c1∆z , where c1 is the series capacitance of a unit length. The quantity c1 has units of
farad-meters. The voltage drop across an element is the impedance of the element multiplied by
the current or
∆V I (j∆z/ωc1 jωl1∆z),
or
MV/Mz (j/ωc1 jωl1) I (12.76)
The change in longitudinal current occurring over an element is equal to the current that is lost
through C2 to ground
∆I jc2∆zω V,
or
MI/Mz jωc2 V. (12.77)
Equation (12.79) relates the wavelength of the electromagnetic disturbance in the cylindrical
waveguide to the frequency of the waves. Equation (12.79) is a dispersion relationship. It
determines the phase velocity of waves in the guide as a function of frequency:
389
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Note that the phase velocity is dispersive. It is minimum at high frequency and approaches infinity
as ωYωc . Furthermore, there is a cutoff frequency, ωc, below which waves cannot propagate. The
wavenumber is imaginary below ωc. This implies that the amplitude of low-frequency waves
decreases along the guide. Low-frequency waves are reflected near the input of the waveguide;
the waveguide appears to be a short circuit.
The above circuit model applies to a propagating wave in the TM 01 mode. The term TM refers
to the fact that magnetic fields are transverse; only electric fields have a longitudinal component.
The leading zero indicates that there is azimuthal symmetry; the 1 indicates that the mode has the
simplest possible radial variation of fields. There are an infinite number of higher-order modes that
can occur in a cylindrical transmission line. We will concentrate on the TM01 mode because it has
the optimum field variations for particle acceleration. The mathematical methods can easily be
extended to other modes. We will now calculate properties of azimuthally symmetric modes in a
cylindrical waveguide by direct solution of the field equations. Again, we seek propagating
disturbances of the form
E(r,θ,z,t) E(r,θ) exp[j(ωtkz)], (12.80)
B(r,θ,z,t) B(r,θ) exp[j(ωtkz)]. (12.81)
With the above variation and the condition that there are no free charges or current in the
waveguide, the Maxwell equations [Eqs. (3.11) and (3.12)] are
L × E jωB, (12.82)
L × B jωεµE. (12.83)
Equations (12.82) and (12.83) can be combined to give the two wave equations
L2E ko2 E, (12.84)
where ko εµ ω ω/v .
The quantity ko is the free-space wavenumber; it is equal to 2π/λo, where λo is the wavelength of
electromagnetic waves in the filling medium of the waveguide in the absence of the boundaries.
In principle, either Eq. (12.84) or (12.85) could be solved for the three components of E or B,
and then the corresponding components of B or E found through Eq. (12.82) or (12.83). The
process is complicated by the boundary conditions that must be satisfied at the wall radius, Ro:
390
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
E2(Ro) 0, (12.86)
Bz(R o) 0. (12.87)
Equations (12.86) and (12.87) refer to the vector sum of components; the boundary conditions
couple the equations for different components. An organized approach is necessary to make the
calculation tractable.
We will treat only solutions with azimuthal symmetry. Setting M/Mθ = 0, the component forms
of Eqs. (12.82) and (12.83) are
jkEθ jωB r, (12.88)
These equations can be manipulated algebraically so that the transverse fields are proportional to
derivatives of the longitudinal components:
Br jk (MB z/Mr) / (ko2 k 2), (12.94)
Notice that there is no solution if both Bz and Ez equal zero; a waveguide cannot support a TEM
mode. Equations (12.94)-(12.97) suggest a method to simplify the boundary conditions on the
wave equations. Solutions are divided into two categories: waves that have Ez = 0 and waves that
have Bz = 0. The first type is called a TE wave, and the second type is called a TM wave. The first
type has transverse field components Br and Eθ. The only component of magnetic field
perpendicular to the metal wall is Br. Setting Br = 0 at the wall implies the simple, decoupled
391
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
boundary condition
Bz(Ro)/r 0. (12.98)
Equation (1 2.98) implies that Eθ(Ro) = 0 and Br(Ro) = 0. The wave equation for the axial
component of B [Eq. (12.85)] can be solved easily with the above boundary condition. Given Bz,
the other field components can be calculated from Eqs. (12.94) and (12.97).
For TM modes, the transverse field components are Er and Bθ. The only component of electric
field parallel to the wall is Ez so that the boundary condition is
E z(Ro) 0. (12.99)
Equation (12.84) can be used to find Ez; then the transverse field components are determined
from Eqs. (12.95) and (12.96). The solutions for TE and TM waves are independent. Therefore,
any solution with both Ez and Bz can be generated as a linear combination of TE and TM waves.
The wave equation for Ez of a TM mode is
2Ez (1/r) (/r) (Ez/r) k 2Ez k o2 E z, (12.100)
with Ez(Ro) = 0. The longitudinal contribution to the Laplacian follows from the assumed form of
the propagating wave solution. Equation (12.100) is a special form of the Bessel equation. The
solution is
The boundary condition of Eq. (12.99) constraints the wavenumber in terms of the free-space
wavenumber:
2
ko k 2 xn2/Ro2, (12.102)
where xn = 2.405,5.520,... . Equation (12.102) yields the following dispersion relationship for
TM0n modes in a cylindrical waveguide:
k εµ ω2 xn2/Ro2, (12.103)
The mathematical solution has a number of physical implications. First, the wavenumber of
low-frequency waves is imaginary so there is no propagation. The cutoff frequency of the TM01
mode is
392
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Near cutoff, the wavelength in the guide approaches infinity. The free-space wavelength of a
TM01 electromagnetic wave at frequency ωc is λo 2.61Ro . The free-space wavelength is about
equal to the waveguide diameter; waves with longer wavelengths are shorted out by the metal
waveguide walls.
The wavelength in the guide is
Note that the phase velocity in a vacuum waveguide is always greater than the speed of light.
The solution of the field equations indicates that there are higher-order TM0n waves. The cutoff
frequency for these modes is higher. In the frequency range 2.405/ εµRo to 5.520/ εµRo , the
only TM mode that can propagate is the TM01 mode. On the other hand, a complete solution for
all modes shows that the TE11 has the cutoff frequency ωc 1.841/ εµRo which is lower than
that of the TM01 mode. Precautions must be taken not to excite the TE11 mode because: 1) the
waves consume rf power without contributing to particle acceleration and 2) the on-axis radial
electric and magnetic field components can cause deflections of the charged particle beam.
The guided waves discussed in Section 12.8 cannot be used for particle acceleration because they
have phase velocity greater than c. It is necessary to generate slow waves with phase velocity less
than c. It is easy to show that slow waves cannot propagate in waveguides with simple
boundaries. Consider, for instance, waves with electric field of the form exp[j(ωt - kz)] with
ω/k < c in a uniform cylindrical pipe of radius Ro. Because the wave velocity is assumed less than
the speed of light, we can make a transformation to a frame moving at speed uz = ω/k. In this
frame, the wall is unchanged and the wave appears to stand still. In the wave rest frame the
electric field is static. Because there are no displacement currents, there is no magnetic field. The
electrostatic field must be derivable from a potential. This is not consistent with the fact that the
wave is surrounded by a metal pipe at constant potential. The only possible static field solution
inside the pipe is E = 0.
Slow waves can propagate when the waveguide has periodic boundaries. The properties of slow
393
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Consider reconstructing the line as shown in Figure 12.18b. Annular metal pieces called irises are
attached to the outer conductor. The irises have inner radius R and spacing δ.
The electric field patterns for a TEM wave are sketched in Figure 12.18b in the limit that the
wavelength is long compared to δ. The magnetic fields are almost identical to those of the
standard transmission line except for field exclusion from the irises; this effect is small if the irises
are thin. In contrast, radial electric fields cannot penetrate into the region between irises. The
electric fields are restricted to the region between the inner conductor and inner radius of the
irises. The result is that the inductance per unit length is almost unchanged, but C is significantly
increased. The capacitance per unit length is approximately
394
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
The phase velocity and characteristic impedance are plotted in Figure 12.19 as a function of R/Ri.
Note the following features:
1.The phase velocity decreases with increasing volume enclosed between the irises.
395
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
396
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
397
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
4.In the long wavelength limit ( λ » δ ), the phase velocity is independent of frequency. This is not
true when λ δ . A general treatment of the capacitively loaded transmission line is given in
Section 12.10.
A similar approach can be used to describe propagation of TM01 modes in an iris-loaded
waveguide (Fig. 12.18c). At long wavelength the inductance L1 is almost unchanged by the
presence of irises, but the capacitances C1 and C2 of the lumped element model is increased. The
phase velocity is reduced. Depending on the geometry of the irises, the phase velocity may be
pulled below c. Capacitive loading also reduces the cutoff frequency ωc. In the limit of strong
loading ( R « Ro ), the cutoff frequency for TM01 waves approaches the frequency of the TM010
mode in a cylindrical resonant cavity of radius Ro.
The following model demonstrates how the irises of a loaded waveguide produce the proper
boundary fields to support an electrostatic field pattern in the rest frame of a slow wave. Consider
an iris-loaded waveguide in the limit that R « Ro (Fig. 12.18c). The sections between irises are
similar to cylindrical resonant cavities. A traveling wave moves along the axis through the small
holes; this wave carries little energy and has negligible effect on the individual cavities. Assume
that cavities are driven in the TM010 mode by external power feeds; the phase of the
electromagnetic oscillation can be adjusted in each cavity. Such a geometry is called an
individually phased cavity array. In the limit λ » δ , the cavity fields at R are almost pure Ez fields.
These fields can be matched to the longitudinal electric field of a traveling wave to determine the
wave properties.
Assume that δ is longitudinally uniform and that there is a constant phase difference -∆φ between
adjacent cavities. The input voltage has frequency ω 2.405c/Ro . Figure 12.20 is a plot of
electric field at R in a number of adjacent cavities separated by a constant phase interval at different
times. Observe that the field at a particular time is a finite difference approximation to a sine wave
with wavelength
λ 2πδ/∆φ. (12.111)
Comparison of plots at different times shows that the waveform moves in the
+z direction at velocity
v(phase) ωo/k (2.405/∆φ) (δ/R0) c. (12.112)
The phase velocity is high at long wavelength. A slow wave results when
∆φ 2.405 δ/R0 or λ < R0/2.405. (12.113)
In the rest frame of a slow wave, the boundary electric fields at R approximate a static sinusoidal
field pattern. Although the fields oscillate inside the individual cavities between irises, the electric
field at R appears to be static to an observer moving at velocity ω/k. Magnetic fields are confined
within the cavities. The reactive boundaries, therefore, are consistent with an axial variation of
electrostatic potential in the wave rest frame.
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Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
The dispersion relationship ω = ω(k) is an equation relating frequency and wavenumber for a
propagating wave. In this section, we shall consider the implications of dispersion relationships for
electromagnetic waves propagating in metal structures. We are already familiar with one quantity
derived from the dispersion relationship, the phase velocity ω/k. The group velocity vg is another
important parameter. It is the propagation velocity for modulations of frequency or amplitude.
Waves with constant amplitude and frequency cannot carry information; information is conveyed
by changes in the wave properties. Therefore, the group velocity is the velocity for information
transmission. The group velocity is given by
vg dω/dk. (12.114)
Equation (12.114) can be derived through the calculation of the motion of a pulsed disturbance
consisting of a spectrum of wave components. The pulse is Fourier analyzed into frequency
components; a Fourier synthesis after a time interval shows that the centroid of the pulse moves if
the wavenumber varies with frequency.
As an example of group velocity, consider TEM electromagnetic waves in a transmission line.
Frequency and wavenumber are related simply by ω k/ εµ kv . Both the phase and group
velocity are equal to the speed of light in the medium. There is no dispersion; all frequency
components of a pulse move at the same rate through the line; therefore, the pulse translates with
no distortion. Waves in waveguides have dispersion. In this case, the components of a pulse move
at different velocities and a pulse widens as it propagates.
The group velocity has a second important physical interpretation. In most circumstances, the
group velocity is equal to the flux of energy in a wave along the direction of propagation divided
by the electromagnetic energy density. Therefore, group velocity usually characterizes energy
transport in a wave.
Dispersion relationships are often represented as graphs of ω versus k. In this section, we shall
construct ω-k plots for a number of wave transport structures, including the iris-loaded waveguide.
The straight-line plot of Figure 12.21a corresponds to TEM waves in a vacuum transmission line.
The phase velocity is the slope of a line connecting a point on the dispersion curve to the origin.
The group velocity is the slope of the dispersion curve. In this case, both velocities are equal to c
at all frequencies.
Figure 12.21b shows an ω-k plot for waves passing along the axis of an array of individually
phased circular cavities with small coupling holes. The curve is plotted for an outer radius of R0 =
0.3 m and a distance of 0.05 m between irises. The frequency depends only on the cavity properties
not the wavelength of the weak coupling wave. Only discrete frequencies correspond ing to cavity
resonances are allowed, The reactive boundary conditions for azimuthally symmetric slow waves
can be generated by any TM0n0 mode. Choice of the relative phase, ∆φ, determines k for the
propagating wave. Phase velocity and group velocity are indicated in Figure 12.21b. The line
399
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
corresponding to ω/k = c has also been plotted. At short wavelengths (large k), the phase velocity
can be less than c. Note that since ω is not a function of k, the group velocity is zero. Therefore,
the traveling wave does not transport energy between the cavities. This is consistent with the
assumption of small coupling holes. The physical model of Section 12.8 is not applicable for
wavelengths less than 2δ; this limit has also been indicated on the ω/k graph.
The third example is the uniform circular waveguide. Figure 12.21c shows a plot of Eq. (12.103)
400
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
for a choice of R0 = 0.3 m. Curves are included for the TM01, TM02, and TM03 modes. Observe that
wavenumbers are undefined for frequency less than ωc. The group velocity approaches zero in the
limit that ω ωc ,. When ω ωc energy cannot be transported into the waveguide because k =
0. The group velocity is nonzero at short wavelengths (large k). The boundaries have little effect
when λ « R ; in this limit, the ω-k plot approaches that of free-space waves, ω/k = c. At long
wavelength (small k), the oscillation frequencies approach those of TM0n0 modes in an axially
bounded cavity with radius R. The phase velocity in a waveguide is minimum at long wavelength;
it can never be less than c.
As a fourth example, consider the dispersion relationship for waves propagating in the
capacitively loaded transmission line of Figure 12.22a. This example illustrates some general
properties of waves in periodic structures and gives an opportunity to examine methods for
analyzing periodic structures mathematically. The capacitively loaded transmission line can be
considered as a transmission line with periodic impedance discontinuities. The discontinuities arise
from the capacitance between the irises and the center conductor. An equivalent circuit is shown in
Figure 12.22b; it consists of a series of transmission lines of impedance Zo and length δ with a
401
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
shunt capacitance Cs at the junctions. The goal is to determine the wavenumber of harmonic waves
propagating in the structure as a function of frequency. Propagating waves may have both
positive-going and negative-going components.
Equations (12.68) and (12.69) can be used to determine the change in the voltage and current of
a wave passing through a section of transmission line of length δ. Rewriting Eq. (12.68),
V(zδ) V exp(ωδ/v) V exp(ωδ/v)
(VV) cos(ωδ/v) j (VV) sin(ωδ/v) (12.115)
The final form results from expanding the complex exponentials [Eq. (12.5)] and applying Eqs.
(12.66) and (12.67). A time variation exp(jωt) is implicitly assumed. In a similar manner, Eq.
(12.69) can be modified to
I(zδ) I(z) cos(ωδ/v) j V(z) sin(ωδ/v)/Z o. (12.116)
The shunt capacitance causes the following changes in voltage and current propagating across the
junction:
V V(zδ), (12.118)
V 1 0 V(zδ)
. (12.120)
I jωCs 1) I(zδ)
The total change in voltage and current passing through one cell of the capacitively loaded
transmission line is determined by multiplication of the matrices in Eqs. (12.117) and (12.120):
402
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
Applying the results of Section 8.6, the voltage and current at the cell boundaries vary
harmonically along the length of the loaded transmission line with phase advance given by
cosµ TrM/2 , where M is the transfer matrix for a cell [Eq. (12.121)]. If k is the wavenumber of
the propagating wave, the phase advance over a cell of length δ is µ kδ . Taking the trace of the
matrix of Eq. (12.121) gives the following dispersion relationship for TEM waves in a capacitively
loaded transmission line:
Equation (12.122) is plotted in Figure 12.23 for three choices of (CsZov/2δ) . In the limit of no
loading (Cs = 0), the dispersion relationship reduces to that of an unloaded line; both the group and
phase velocities equal v (the velocity of light in the medium filling the line). With loading, the phase
velocity is reduced below v (slow waves). The long wavelength (small k) results agree with the
analysis of Section 12.9; the phase velocity and group velocity are independent of frequency. The
wave characteristics deviate considerably from those of a TEM wave in an unloaded line when k
approaches π/δ. The group velocity approaches zero when λ/2 δ . In this case, the wave is a
standing-wave pattern with equal components of positive-going and negative-going waves. The
feature is explained below in terms of constructive interference of wave reflections from the line
discontinuities. The form of Eq. (12.122) implies that the dispersion plot repeats periodically for
higher values of wavenumber.
The final example of a dispersion curve is the iris-loaded waveguide. The ω-k diagram is
important in designing traveling wave particle accelerators; the phase velocity must match the
particle velocity at all points in the accelerator, and the group velocity must be high enough to
transport power through the structure effectively. In this calculation, we will determine how the
size of the aperture (R) affects a TM01 wave moving through the coupling holes. We will limit
attention to the long wavelength limit ( λ > 2δ ). The iris spacing and outer radius are assumed
constant. We have already treated two special cases, R/R0 = 1 (uniform circular waveguide) and
R/R0 = 0 (independently phased array). Curves for these limits are plotted on Figure 12.24.
Consider an intermediate case such as R/R0 = 0.5. At long wavelength, inspection of the curves for
the limiting cases infers that the frequency approaches ω = 2.405c/R0. This behavior can be
understood if we consider a long wavelength TM01 mode in an ordinary waveguide of radius R0.
The magnetic field is azimuthal, while the electric field is predominantly axial. The addition of thin
irises has negligible effect on the electric and magnetic field lines because the oscillating fields
induce little net current flow on the irises. In the long wavelength limit, electric fields of the TM01
mode are relatively unaffected by the radial metal plates. Current flow induced on the irises by
oscillating magnetic field is almost equal and opposite on the upstream and downstream sides. The
403
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
only effect is exclusion of magnetic field from the interior of the thin irises.
We can understand the ω-k diagram at short wavelengths by approximating the wave as a
free-space plane wave. The irises represent discontinuities in the waveguide along the direction of
propagation; some of the wave energy may be reflected at the discontinuity. Depending on the
geometry, there is the possibility of constructive interference of the reflected waves. To understand
this, assume that transmitted and reflected waves are observed at the point z = 0. Irises are located
at distances δ, 2δ, 3δ, .. ., nδ downstream. A waveform reaches a particular iris at a time nδ/(ω/k)
after it passes the point z = 0. A reflected wave from the iris takes a time nδ/(ω/k) to return to the
origin. The sum of reflected waves at z = 0 is therefore
404
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
The summation of Eq. (12.123) diverges when k π/δ . In this case, there is a strong reflected
wave. The final state has equipartition of energy between waves traveling in the +z and -z
directions; therefore, a standing-wave pattern with zero group velocity is set up.
We can estimate the frequency of the standing wave at k π/δ by calculating the resonant
frequency of a hollow annular cavity with specified inner radius. In the limit δ « (RoRi) , resonant
frequencies of TM0n0 modes are determined by solving Eq. (12.42) with boundary conditions
Ez(Ro) = 0 and Bθ(R) 0 . The latter condition comes about because the axial displacement
current between r = 0 and r = R is small. The boundary condition can be rewritten as
dEz(R)/dr 0 . The resonant frequencies are determined by the solutions of the transcendental
equation:
405
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
J1(ωR/c) Y0(ωR0/c)
1 (12.124)
J0(ωR0/c) Y1(ωR/c)
Resonant frequencies as a function of R/R0 are plotted in Figure 12.25 for the TM01 and TM02
modes. For our example [R/R0 = 0.5], the frequency of the hollow cavity is about 50% higher than
that of the complete cavity. This value was incorporated in the plot of Figure 12.24.
Consider some of the implications of Figure 12.24. In the limit of small coupling holes, the
cavities are independent. We saw in discussing individually phased cavities that phase velocities
much less than the speed of light can be generated by the proper choice of the phasing and δ/R.
Although there is latitude to achieve a wide range of phase velocity in the low coupling limit, the
low group velocity is a disadvantage. Low group velocity means that energy cannot be coupled
between cavities by a traveling wave.
The interdependence of phase and group velocity in a periodic structure enters into the design of
rf linear accelerators (Chapter 14). In an accelerator for moderate- to high-energy electrons, the
phase velocity is close to c. Inspection of Figure 12.24 shows that this value of phase velocity can
406
Resonant Cavities and Waveguides
be achieved in a structure with substantial coupling holes and a high value of group velocity. This
means that a useful traveling wave can be excited in an extended structure with nonzero wall
resistivity by a single power input. The boundary cavities between irises are excited by energy
carried by the traveling wave. This approach is not suitable for linear ion accelerators, where the
phase velocity must be well below the speed of light. This is the reason linear ion accelerators
generally use external rf coupling of individual cavities to synthesize a slow traveling wave on axis.
In the above derivation, we concentrated on TM01 waves over the wavenumher range
0 < k < π/δ . This is the range generally encountered in accelerator applications. We should
recognize, nonetheless, that higher-order modes and traveling waves with λ < 2δ can be
propagated. The complete ω-k plot for a periodic waveguide structure is called a Brillouin
diagram [ L. Brillouin. Wave Propagation in Periodic Structures, Dover, New York, 1953]. An
example is illustrated in Figure 12.26. The periodic repetition of the curve along the k axis is a
consequence of the axial periodicity of the waveguide structure. Note the similarities between
Figure 12.26 and the dispersion relationship for TEM waves in the capacitively loaded transmission
line (Fig. 12.22).
407
Phase Dynamics
13
Phase Dynamics
The axial electric field at a particular location in an rf accelerator has negative polarity half the
time. Particles must move in synchronism with variations of electromagnetic fields in order to be
accelerated continuously. Synchronization must be effective over long distances to produce
high-energy beams. In this chapter, we shall study the longitudinal dynamics of particles moving in
traveling electromagnetic waves. Particle motion is summarized in the phase equations, which
describe axial displacements of particles relative to the traveling wave. The phase equations lead
to the concept of phase stability [V. Veksler, Doklady U. S. S. R. 44, 444 (1944); E. M.
McMillan, Phys. Rev. 69 145 (1945). Groups of particles can be confined to the accelerating
phase of a wave if they have a small enough spread in kinetic energy. Individual particles oscillate
about a constant point in the wave called the synchronous phase.
There are a number of important applications of the phase equations:
408
Phase Dynamics
function of the phase and the properties of the accelerating wave. Effects of space charge
can be added to find longitudinal current limits in accelerators.
3. The output from resonant accelerators consists of beam bunches emerging at the
frequency of the accelerating wave. Information on the output beam structure is necessary
to design debunchers, matching sections to other accelerators, and high-energy physics
experiments.
Section 13.1 introduces phase stability. Longitudinal motion is referenced to the hypothetical
synchronous particle. Acceleration and inertial forces are balanced for the synchronous particle; it
remains at a point of constant phase in a traveling wave. The synchronous particle is the
longitudinal analogy of an on-axis particle with no transverse velocity. Particles that deviate in
phase or energy from the synchronous particle may either oscillate about the synchronous phase
or may fall out of synchronism with the wave. In the former case, the particles are said to be
phase stable. Conditions for phase stability are discussed qualitatively in Section 13.1. Equations
derived in Section 13.2 give a quantitative description of phase oscillations. The derivation is
facilitated by a proof that the fields of all resonant accelerators can be expressed as a sum of
traveling waves. Only the wave with phase velocity near the average particle velocity interacts
strongly with particles.
T'he phase equations are solved for nonrelativistic particles in Section 13.3 in the limit that
changes in the average particle velocity are slow compared to the period of a phase oscillation.
The derivation introduces a number of important concepts such as rf buckets, kinetic energy error,
and longitudinal acceptance. A second approximate analytic solution, discussed in Section 13.4,
holds when the amplitude of phase oscillations is small. The requirement of negligible velocity
change is relaxed. The model predicts reversible compression of longitudinal beam bunches during
acceleration. The process is similar to the compression of transverse oscillations in the betatron.
Longitudinal motion of non-relativistic particles in an induction linac is discussed in Section 13.5.
Synchronization is important in the linear induction accelerator even though it is not a resonant
device. Pulses of ions must pass through the acceleration gaps during the time that voltage is
applied. Section 13.6 discusses longitudinal motion of highly relativistic particles. The material
applies to rf electron linacs and linear induction electron accelerators. Solutions of the phase
equation are quite different from those for non-relativistic particles. Time dilation is the major
determinant of particle behavior. Time varies slowly in the rest frame of the beam relative to the
stationary frame. If the electrons in an rf accelerator are accelerated rapidly, they do not have time
to perform a phase oscillation before exiting the machine. In some circumstances, electrons can be
captured in the positive half-cycle of a traveling wave and synchronously accelerated to arbitrarily
high energy. This process is called electron capture. Relativistic effects are also important in linear
induction electron accelerators; electron beams remain synchronized even in the
presence of large imperfections of voltage waveform.
409
Phase Dynamics
The concept of the synchronous particle and phase stability can be illustrated easily by considering
motion in an accelerator driven by an array of independently phased cavities (Fig. 13.1a). Particles
receive longitudinal impulses in narrow acceleration gaps. The gaps are spaced equal distances
apart; the phase in each cavity is adjusted for the best particle acceleration. Figure 13.lb shows the
time variation of gap voltage in a cavity. The time axis is referenced to the beginning of the
accelerating half-cycle in gap n.
410
Phase Dynamics
The time at which a test particle crosses gap n is indicated in Figure 13.1b. The phase of the
particle in defined in terms of the crossing time relative to the cavity waveform. Phase is measured
from the beginning of the acceleration half-cycle. Figure 13.lb illustrates a particle with +70E
phase. A particle with a phase of +90E crosses at the time of peak cavity voltage; it gains the
maximum possible energy. (Note that in many discussions of linear accelerators, the gap fields are
assumed to vary as Ez(t) Ezo cosωt . Therefore, a synchronous phase value quoted as -32E
corresponds to φs = 58E in the convention used in this book.)
A synchronous particle is defined as a particle that has the same phase in all cavities. Crossing
times of a synchronous particle are indicated as solid squares in Figure 13.2a. The synchronous
phase φs is the phase of the synchronous particle. The synchronous particle is in longitudinal
equilibrium. Acceleration of the particle in the cavities matches the phase difference of
electromagnetic oscillations between cavities so that the particle always crosses gaps at the same
relative position in the waveform. A synchronous particle exists only if the frequencies of
oscillations in all cavities are equal. If frequency varies, the accelerating oscillations will
continually shift relative to each other and the diagram of Figure 13.2a will not hold at all times.
Particles are accelerated if the synchronous phase is between 0E and 180E.
An accelerator must be properly designed to fulfill conditions for a synchronous particle. In
some accelerators, the phase difference is constant while the distance between gaps is chosen to
match particle acceleration. In the present example, the phase of oscillations in individual cavities
is adjusted to match the particle mass and average accelerating gradient with the distance between
gaps fixed. It is not difficult to determine the proper phase differences for non-relativistic
particles. The phase difference between oscillations in cavity n+1 and cavity n is denoted ∆φn1 .
The accelerating voltages in cavities n through n+2 are defined as
Vn Vo sin(ωt),
Vn1 Vo sin(ωt∆φn1), (13.1)
Vn1 Vo sin(ωt∆φn1∆φn2),
where t is the time and ω is the angular rf frequency. By the definition of φs, the synchronous
particle crosses cavity n at time ωt 0 . Assuming non-relativistic ions, the change in
synchronous particle velocity imparted by cavity n is given by
½mvsn
2
½mvsn2 1 qVo sinφs, (13.2)
where vsn is the particle velocity emerging from gap n. The particle arrives at gap n+1 at time
411
Phase Dynamics
where d is the distance between gaps. Because the particle is a synchronous particle, the voltage
in cavity n+1 equals Vo sinφs at time tn+1; therefore, Eq. (13.1) implies that
or
∆φn1 ωd/vsn, (13.4)
where we have used Eqs. (13.1) and (13.3). Equation (13.4) specifies phase differences between
412
Phase Dynamics
cavity oscillations. Once Vo and φs are chosen, the quantities vsn can be calculated.
Particles injection can never be perfect. Beams always have a spread in longitudinal position and
velocity with respect to the synchronous particle. Figure 13.2a illustrates crossing times (circles)
for a particle with v # vs with the synchronous phase chosen so that 0E < φs < 90E . In the
example, the particle crosses cavity n at the same time as the synchronous particle. It crosses
cavity n+1 at a later time; therefore, it sees a higher accelerating voltage than the synchronous
particle and it receives a higher velocity increment. The process continues until the particle gains
enough velocity to overtake and pass the synchronous particle. In subsequent cavities, it sees
reduced voltage and slows with respect to the synchronous particle. The result is that particles
with parameters near those of the synchronous particle have stable oscillations about φs. These
particles constitute a bunch that remains synchronized with accelerating waves; the bunch is phase
stable.
It is also possible to define a synchronous particle when φs is in the range 90E < φs < 180E .
Such a case is illustrated in Figure 13.2b. The relative phase settings of the cavity are the same as
those of Figure 13.2a because the voltages are the same at the crossing time of the synchronous
particle. The crossing time history of a particle with v < vs is also plotted in Figure 13.2b. This
particle arrives at cavity n+1 later than the synchronous particle and sees a reduced voltage. Its
arrival time at the subsequent cavity is delayed further because of its reduced velocity. After a few
cavities, the particle moves into the decelerating phase of gap voltage. In its subsequent motion,
the particle is completely desynchronized from the cavity voltage oscillations; its axial velocity
remains approximately constant.
The conclusion is that particle distributions are not phase stable when the synchronous phase is
in the range 90E < φs < 180E . The stable range of φs for particle acceleration is
0E < φs < 90E . Similar considerations apply to charged particle deceleration, an important
process for microwave generation. The relative phases of the cavity oscillations can be adjusted to
define a decelerating synchronous particle. It can be shown that decelerating bunches have phase
stability when 0E < φs < 90E . Particle bunches are dispersed when the synchronous phase is in
the range 90E < φs < 180E .
Particles accelerated in a traveling electromagnetic wave also can have phase stability. Figure
13.3 shows the electric field as a function of position viewed in the rest frame of a slow wave. The
figure illustrates the definition of phase with respect to the wave; the particle shown has
φ 70E . Figure 13.3 (which shows an electric field variation in space at a constant time)
should not be confused with Figure 13.1 (which shows an electric field variation in time at a
constant position). Note that the phase definition of Figure 13.3 is consistent with Figure 13.1.
The synchronous particle in a traveling wave is defined by
dp z
eE o sinφs. (13.5)
dt
In order for a synchronous particle to exist, the slow-wave structure must be designed so that the
413
Phase Dynamics
phase velocity of the wave changes to equal the particle velocity at all points in the accelerator. A
slow-wave structure must be designed to accelerate particles with a specific charge-to-mass ratio
( Z e/mo ) if the accelerating electric field Eo is specified. The above derivations can be modified to
show that a particle distribution has phase stability in a traveling wave if the synchronous phase is
in the range 0E < φs < 90E . (In the convention common to discussions of linear accelerators, the
stable phase range is given as 90E < φs < 0E .)
The phase equations describe the relative longitudinal motion of particles about the synchronous
particle. The general phase equations are applicable to all resonant accelerators; we shall apply
them in subsequent chapters to linear accelerators, cyclotrons, and synchrotrons.
It is most convenient to derive continuous differential equations for phase dynamics. We begin
by showing that the synchronized accelerating fields in any accelerator can be written as a sum of
traveling waves. Only one component (with phase velocity equal to the average particle velocity)
interacts strongly with particles. Longitudinal motion is well described by including only the
effects of this component. The derivation leads to a unified treatment of both discrete cavity and
traveling wave accelerators.
The accelerator of Figure 13.4a has discrete resonant cavities oscillating at ωo. The cavities
drive narrow acceleration gaps. We assume that rf oscillations in the cavities have the same phase.
Particles are synchronized to the oscillations by varying the distance between the gaps. The
distance between gaps n and n+1 is
414
Phase Dynamics
dn vn (2π/ωo). (13.6)
The quantity vn is the average velocity of particles emerging from gap n. Equation (13.6) implies
that the transit time of a synchronous particle between cavities is equal to one oscillation period.
The distribution of longitudinal electric fields along the axis is plotted in Figure 13.4b. Assuming a
peak voltage Vo, Ez can be approximated as a sum of δ functions,
Ez(z,t) Vo sinωot [δ(zz1) δ(zz2) ... δ(zzn) ... ]. (13.7)
The electric field in a region of width dn at gap n is represented by the Fourier expansion
Ez(z) (2Vo/dn) jm
cos[mπ(zzn)/dn]. (13.8)
415
Phase Dynamics
Applying Eq. (13-6), the electric field distribution in the entire accelerator can be represented by
a Fourier expansion of the delta functions,
Ez(z) [Voωo/πvz(z)] j
m
cos[mzωo/vz(z)], (13.9)
where v(z) is a continuous function that equals vn at dn. Assuming a temporal variation sinωot,
axial electric field variations can be expressed as
Ez(z,t) [Voωo/πvz(z)] jm
sinωot cos[mzωo/vz(z)]
j
(13.10)
[Voωo/2πvz(z)] sin[ωot mzωo/vz(z)] sin[ωot mzωo/vz(z)]
m
The gap fields are equivalent to a sum of traveling waves with axially varying phase velocity. The
only component that has a long-term effect for particle acceleration is the positive-going
component with m = 1. In subsequent discussions, the other wave components are neglected. The
accelerating field of any resonant accelerator can be represented as
Ez(z,t) E o(z) sin(ωt zω/vs φs). (13.11)
The factor Eo(z) represents a long-scale variation of electric field magnitude. In linear
accelerators, ω is constant throughout the machine. In cycled circular accelerators such as the
synchrocyclotron and synchrotron, ω varies slowly in time. The velocity vs is the synchronous
particle velocity as a function of position. The requirement for the existence of a synchronous
particle is that vs equals ω/k, the phase velocity of the slow wave. The motion of the synchronous
particle is determined by Eq. (13.5).
Other particles shift position with respect to the synchronous particle; their phase, φ, varies in
time. Orbits are characterized by φ rather than by axial position because the phase is almost
constant during the acceleration process. In this section, we shall concentrate on a non-relativistic
derivation since phase oscillations are most important in linear ion accelerators. Relativistic results
are discussed in Section 13.6.
The longitudinal equation of motion for a nonsynchronous particle is
dpz
qEo(z) sin(ωt ωz/vs φs) qEo(z) sinφ(z). (13/12)
dt
The particle orbit is expanded about the synchronous particle in terms of the variables
416
Phase Dynamics
z zs ∆z, (13.13)
φ φs ∆φ. (13.15)
where
∆φ ωt ωz/vs.
Inspection of Figure 13.5 shows that the phase difference is related to the position difference by
∆φ/2π ∆z/(2πvs/ω)
or
∆φ ω∆z/vs. (13.16)
Equations (13.17) and (13.18) relate φ to ∆z; the relationship is influenced by the parameters of
417
Phase Dynamics
the synchronous orbit. In Sections 13.3, 13.4, and 13.6, analytic approximations will allow the
equations to be combined into a single phase equation.
The phase equations for non-relativistic particles can be solved in the limit that the synchronous
particle velocity is approximately constant over a phase oscillation period. Although the
assumption is only marginally valid in linear ion accelerators, the treatment gives valuable physical
insight into the phase equations.
With the assumption of constant vs the second derivative of Eq. (13.17) is
d 2φ/dt 2 (ω/v s) d 2∆z/dt 2. (13.19)
418
Phase Dynamics
Small-amplitude oscillations are harmonic; this is true for particles confined near a stable
equilibrium point of any smoothly varying force.
In order to treat oscillations of arbitrary amplitude, observe that Eq. (13.21) has the form of a
force equation. The effective force confines φ about φs. Figure 13.6 shows a plot of the effective
restoring force (ωqEomov s) (sinφsinφs) as a function of φ. This expression is linear near φs;
hence, the harmonic solution of Eq. (13.24). Particles which reach φ > π φs do not oscillate
about φs. A first integral of Eq. (13.21) can be performed by first multiplying both sides by
2(dφ/dt):
(dφ/dt)2 (2ωqEo/m ovs) (cosφ φ sinφs) K. (13.26)
We shall determine the integration constant K for the orbit of the oscillating particle with the
maximum allowed displacement from φs. The orbit bounds the distribution of confined particles.
Inspection of Figure 13.6 shows that the extreme orbit must have (dφ/dt) = 0 at φ π φs .
Substituting into Eq. (13.26), the phase equation for the boundary orbit is
(dφ/dt)2 (2ωqEo/movs) [cosφ cosφs (φ φs π) sinφs]. (13.27)
The boundary particle oscillates about φs with maximum phase excursions given by the solution of
cosφ cosφs sinφs (π φ φs). (13.28)
419
Phase Dynamics
Figure 13.7 shows the limits of phase oscillations as a function of φs. The figure illustrates the
trade-off between accelerating phase and longitudinal acceptance. A synchronous phase of 0E
gives stable confinement of particles with a broad range of phase, but there is no acceleration.
Although a choice of φs = 90E gives the strongest acceleration, particles with the slightest
variation from the synchronous particle are not captured by the accelerating wave. Figure 13.8 is
a normalized longitudinal acceptance diagram in φ-(dφ/dt) space as a function of φs derived from
the orbit of the boundary particle. The acceptable range of longitudinal orbit parameters for
trapped particles contracts as φs Y 90E .
The principles of particle trapping in an accelerating wave and the limits of particle oscillations
are well illustrated by a longitudinal potential diagram. Assume a traveling wave with an on-axis
electric field given by Ez(z,t) Eo sin(ωtωz/v s) . The electric field measured by an observer
traveling at the non-relativistic velocity vs is
Ez(∆z) E o sin(ω∆z/vs) (13.29)
if the origin of the moving frame is coincident with the point of zero phase and ∆z is the distance
420
Phase Dynamics
from the origin. Consider first a wave with constant velocity. In this case, dvs/dt = 0 and Eq.
(13.5) implies that φs 0E . The moving observer determines the following longitudinal variation
of potential energy (Fig. 13.9a):
U s(∆z)
m d∆z qE (∆z) (qE v /ω) [1 cos(ω∆z/v )],
z o s s (13.30)
In order to accelerate particles, the phase velocity of a wave must increase with time. An observer
421
Phase Dynamics
in the frame of an accelerating wave frame sees an addition force acting on particles. It is an
inertial force in the negative z direction. Applying Eq. (13.5), the inertial force is
Fi m o (dvs/dt) qEo sinφs. (13.32)
Integrating Eq. (13.32) from ∆z' = 0 to ∆z, the interial potential energy relative to the accelerating
frame is
Ui qEo sinφs ∆z. (13.33)
The total potential energy for particles in the wave frame (representing electric and inertial forces)
is
U t(∆z) (qEovs/ω) [1 cos(ω∆z/vs)] qE o sinφs ∆z. (13.34)
Figures 13.9b-e show Ut as a function of φs. The figure has the following physical interpretations:
1.The rf bucket is the region of the wave where particle containment is possible. The
bucket region is shaded in the figures.
2.A particle with high relative kinetic energy will spill out of the bucket (Fig. 13.9c). In the
wave frame, the desynchronized particle appears to move backward with acceleration
-dvs/dt neglecting the small variations of velocity from interaction with the fields of
subsequent buckets). In the stationary frame, the particle drifts forward with
approximately the velocity it had at the time of desynchronization.
3.Increased wave acceleration is synonymous with larger φs. This leads to decreased
bucket depth and width.
4.The acceleration limit occurs with φs 90E . At this value, the bucket has zero depth.
A wave with higher acceleration will outrun all particles.
5.The conditions for a synchronous particle are satisfied at φs and π - φs. The latter value is
a point of unstable longitudinal equilibrium.
Equation (13.25) can be applied to derive a validity condition for the assumption of constant vs
over a phase oscillation. Equation (13.5) implies that the change in vs in time ∆t is
∆vs (qEosinφs/mo) ∆t. Taking ∆t 2π/ωz , we find that
∆vs/vs 2π (qEo/mov sω) (sin2φs/cosφs). (13.35)
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Phase Dynamics
As an example, assume 20-MeV protons (vs = 6.2 × 107 m/s), f = 800 MHz (ω = 5 × 109), Eo = 2
MV/m, and φs = 70E. These parameters imply that ∆vs/vs 0.25 .
The longitudinal acceptance diagram is used to find limits on acceptable beam parameters for
injection into an rf accelerator. In a typical injector, a steady-state beam is axially bunched by an
acceleration gap oscillating at ωo. The gap imparts a velocity dispersion to the beam. Faster
particles overtake slower particles. If parameters are chosen correctly, the injected beam is
localized to the regions of rf buckets at the accelerator entrance. Bunching involves a trade-off
between spatial localization and kinetic energy spread. For injection applications, it is usually
more convenient to plot a longitudinal acceptance diagram in terms of phase versus kinetic energy
error. The difference in the kinetic energy of a non-relativistic particle from that of the
synchronous particle is given by
423
Phase Dynamics
The dimensionless plot of Figure 13.8 also holds if the vertical axis is normalized to
∆T/ 2movs3qEo/ω .
The theory of longitudinal phase dynamics can be applied to predict the pulselength and energy
spread of particle bunches in rf buckets emerging from a resonant accelerator. This problem is of
considerable practical importance. The output beam may be used for particle physics experiments
or may be injected into another accelerator. In both cases, a knowledge of the micropulse
structure and energy spread are essential.
In this section, we shall study the evolution of particle distributions in rf buckets as the
synchronous velocity increases. In order to develop an analytic theory, attention will be limited to
small phase oscillations in the linear region of restoring force. Again, the derivation is non-
relativistic. Equation (13.16) implies that
∆z (vs/ωo) ∆φ. (13.37)
in the limit that ∆φ « φs . The mathematics is further simplified by taking d 2vs/dt 20 ; the wave
has constant acceleration. Setting the right-hand sides of Eqs. (13.38)and (13.39) equal gives
d 2∆φ/dt 2 2(dv s/dt)(d∆φ/dt)/vs (ωoqEocosφs/mov s) ∆φ 0. (13.40)
424
Phase Dynamics
if the origin of the time axis corresponds to vs = 0. The quantity t is the duration of time that the
particles are in the accelerator. Substituting Eqs. (13.41)and (13.42) into Eq. (13.40) gives
d 2∆φ/dt 2 (2/t) (d∆φ/dt) (ωo/tanφst) ∆φ 0. (13.43)
where
ωz ωo/tanφst. (13.45)
Equation (13.45) implies that Eq. (13.43) has an oscillatory acceleration solution for
0 < φs < π/2 . The condition for phase stability remains the same.
Equation (13.44) has the same form as Eq. (11.20), which describes the compression of
betatron oscillations. Equation (13.44) is a harmonic oscillator equation with a slowly varying
frequency. We apply the approximation that changes in the synchronous particle velocity take
place slowly compared to the phase oscillation frequency, or ωzT » 1 , where T is the time scale
for acceleration. The linear phase oscillation frequency decreases as
ωz - 1/ t - 1/ vs, (13.46)
where Eq. (13.42) has been used to relate t and vs. The quantity Ψ is the analogy of the amplitude
of betatron oscillations. Equation (11-29) implies that the product Ψ2ωz is conserved in a
reversible compression. Thus, the quantity Ψ increases as
Ψ 1/4
- t 1/4 - vs . (13.47)
425
Phase Dynamics
Furthermore,
∆φ - Ψ/t - 1/t 3/4 - 1/vs .
3/4
(13.48)
In summary, the following changes take place in the distribution of particles in an rf bucket:
1. Particles injected with velocity vi and micropulsewidth ∆ti emerge from a constant-frequency
accelerator with velocity vf and micropulsewidth
∆tf ∆t i (vi/vf)3/4. (13.49)
Although the spatial extent of the beam bunch is larger, the increase in velocity results in a
reduced micropulsewidth.
2.Taking the derivative on the time scale of a phase oscillation, Eq. (13.48)implies that
d∆φ/dt - ωz/t 3/4 - 1/t 5/4 - 1/vs . Combining the above equation with Eq. (13.36) implies that
5/4
Linear ion accelerators produce beams with a fairly large kinetic energy spread. If an application
calls for a small energy spread, the particle pulses must be debunched after exiting the accelerator.
The relative energy spread scales as
∆Tf/T f (∆Ti/Ti) (vi/v f)5/4. (13.51)
Although the linear induction accelerator is not a resonant accelerator, longitudinal motions of
ions in induction linacs are discussed in this chapter because of the similarities to phase
oscillations in rf linear ion accelerators. The treatment is limited to non-relativistic particles;
electron accelerators are discussed in the next section.
The main problem associated with longitudinal dynamics in an induction accelerator is ensuring
that ions are axially confined so that they cross acceleration gaps during the applied voltage
pulses. A secondary concern is maintenance of a good current profile; this is important when
beam loading of the pulse modulator is significant. In the following treatment, only single-particle
426
Phase Dynamics
effects are addressed. Cavity voltage waveforms are specified and beam loading is neglected.
To begin, consider a beam pulse of duration ∆tp moving through a gap with constant voltage Vo
(Fig. 13.10). The incoming pulse has axial length l, longitudinal velocity vs, and velocity spread
∆v. The axial length is l vs∆tp . Assume that the gap is narrow and the beam velocity spread is
small ( ∆v/vs « 1 ). The beam emerges with an increased velocity vs'. Every particle entering the
gap leaves it immediately, so that the pulselength is not changed. As shown in Figure 13.10, the
beam length increases to
l l (vs/vs). (13.52)
The change in the velocity spread of the beam can be determined from conservation of energy for
the highest-energy particles:
½mo(vs ½∆v )2 ½mo(vs½∆v)2 qVo (13.53)
2
Keeping only the first-order terms of Eq. (13.53) and noting that ½movs mov s2 eVo , we
find that
∆v ∆v (vs/vs ). (13.54)
The longitudinal velocity spread decreases with acceleration. As in any reversible process, the
area occupied by the particle distribution in phase space (proportional to l∆v) remains constant.
A flat voltage pulse gives no longitudinal confinement. The longitudinal velocity spread causes the
beam to expand, as shown in Figure 13.11a. The expansion can be countered by adding a voltage
ramp to the accelerating waveform (Fig. 13.11b). The accelerator is adjusted so that the
synchronous particle in the middle of the beam bunch crosses the gap when the voltage equals Vo.
427
Phase Dynamics
Particles lagging behind the synchronous particle experience a higher gap voltage and gain a
larger velocity increment while advanced particles are retarded. This not only confines particles
within the bunch but also provides stability for the entire beam pulse. For example, if the voltage
in an upstream cavity is low, the centroid of the bunch arrives late in subsequent cavities. With
ramped voltage waveforms, the bunch receives extra acceleration and oscillates about the
synchronous particle position.
A simple model for beam confinement in an induction linear accelerator can be developed in the
limit that (1) the beam crosses many gaps during a phase oscillation and (2) the change in vs is
small during a phase oscillation. Let the quantity ∆z be the distance of a particle from the
snchronous particle position, or
∆z z vst. (13.55)
where ∆Vo is defined in Figure 13.11c. The velocity changes by the amount
428
Phase Dynamics
crossing a gap. Equation (13.57) holds in the limit that ∆v « vs . Particles cross N vs∆t/D gaps
in time interval ∆t if the gaps have uniform spacing D. Therefore, multiplying Eq. (13.57) by N
gives the total change of ∆v in ∆t. The longitudinal equation of motion for ion in an induction
linear accelerator is
d∆v/dt d 2∆z/dt 2 (2q∆Vo/molD) ∆z. (13.58)
where
ωz 2q∆Vo/molD. (13.60)
The maximum value of ∆v is determined from Eq. (13.59) by substituting ∆zo l/2 :
∆v # (q∆Vo/2mo) (l/D). (13.61)
The longitudinal dynamics of ions in an induction linear accelerator is almost identical to the small
∆φ treatment of phase oscillations in an rf accelerator. The time-varying gap electric field in
Figure 13.11 can be viewed as an approximation to a sine function expanded about the
synchronous particle position. The main difference between the two types of accelerators is in the
variation of phase oscillation frequency and velocity spread during beam acceleration. The electric
field ramp in an rf linear accelerator is constrained by the condition of constant frequency. The
wavelength increases as vs, and hence the longitudinal confining electric field in the beam rest
frame decreases as 1/vs. This accounts for the decrease in the phase oscillation frequency of Eq.
(13.46). In the induction accelerator, there is the latitude to adjust the longitudinal confinement
gradient along the accelerator.
Equation (13.61) implies that the longitudinal acceptance is increased by higher voltage ramp
(∆Vo) and long beam length compared to the distance between gaps (l/D). If vs varies slowly, Eq.
429
Phase Dynamics
(13.61) implies that the magnitude of ∆Vo must be reduced along the length of the accelerator to
maintain a constant beam pulselength. Constant pulselength implies that l - vs and ∆v - 1/vs ;
therefore, ∆Vo must be reduced proportional to 1/vs3 for constant D. On the other hand, if ∆Vo is
constant throughout the accelerator, l and ∆v are constant. This means that the pulselength, or the
time for the beam bunch to pass through the gap, decreases as 1/vs.
The longitudinal shape of the beam bunch is not important when beam loading is negligible.
Particles with a randomized velocity distribution acted on by linear forces normally have a
bell-shaped density distribution; in this case, the beam current profile associated with a pulse looks
like that of Figure 13.12a. When beam loading is significant, it is preferable to have a flat current
pulse, like that of Figure 13.12b. This can be accomplished by nonlinear longitudinal confinement
forces; a confining cavity voltage waveform consistent with the flat current profile is illustrated in
Figure 13.12c. The design of circuits to generate nonlinear waveforms for beam confinement
under varying load conditions is one of the major unanswered questions concerning the feasibility
of linear induction ion accelerators.
Straightforward analytic solutions for longitudinal dynamics in rf linear accelerators are possible
for highly relativistic particles. The basis of the approach is to take the phase velocity of the
accelerating wave exactly equal to c, and to seek solutions in which electrons are captured in the
accelerating phase of the wave. In this situation, there is no synchronous phase because the
430
Phase Dynamics
particles (with vz < c ) always move to regions of higher phase in the accelerating wave. We shall
first derive the mathematics of electron capture and then consider the physical implications.
Assume electrons are injected into a traveling wave at z = 0. The quantity φo is the particle
phase relative to the wave at the injection point. Equation (13.17) can be rewritten
φ φo ω∆z/c, (13.63)
where
∆z zct. (13.64)
The quantity z is the position of the electron after time t, and ct is the distance that the wave
travels. Thus, ∆z is the distance the electron falls back in the wave during acceleration. Clearly, ∆z
must be less than λ/2 or else the electron will enter the decelerating phase of the wave. Equation
(13.63) can also be written
φ φo ω (t z/c). (13.65)
Equations (13.66) and (13.67) are two equations in the the unknowns φ and β. They can be
solved by making the substitution
β cosα. (13.68)
431
Phase Dynamics
Substituting Eq. (13.71) into Eq. (13.70) gives the desired equation,
sinφ dφ (m ecω/eEo) (1 cosα) dα/sin2α. (13.72)
Integrating Eq. (13.72) with the lower limit given by the injection parameters, we find that
cosφ cosφo (mecω/eEo) [tan(½α) tan(½αo)]. (13.73)
Noting that tan(½α) (1cosα)/(1cosα) (1β)/(1β) , the electron phase relative to the
accelerating wave is given in terms of β by
cosφ cosφo (mecω/eEo) (1β)/(1β) (1βo)/(1βo) . (13.74)
The solution is not oscillatory; φ increases monotonically as β changes from βo to 1 and the
particle lags behind the wave. Acceleration takes place as long as the particle phase is less than
φ 180E . Note that since there are no phase oscillations, there is no reason to restrict the
particle phase to φ < 90E . The important point to realize is that if acceleration takes place fast
enough, electrons can be trapped in a single rf bucket and accelerated to arbitrarily high energy.
With high enough Eo, the electrons never reach phase φ 180E . This process is called electron
capture. In this regime, time dilation dominates so that the particle asymptotically approaches a
constant phase, φ.
The condition for electron capture can be derived from Eq. (13.74) by assuming that the final
particle β is close to unity:
cosφ cosφo (mecω/eE o) (1βo)/(1βo) # 1. (13.75)
The limit proceeds from the fact that φ should approach 90E for optimum acceleration and φo
must be greater than 0E. Equation (13.75) implies that
Eo > (m ecω/e) (1βo)/(1βo). (13.76)
As an example, consider injection of 1 MeV electrons into a traveling wave accelerator based on a
2 GHz (ω = 1.26 × 1010 s-1) iris-loaded waveguide. The quantity βo equals 0.9411. According to
Eq. (13.76), the peak electric field of the wave must exceed 3.7 MV/m. This is a high but feasible
432
Phase Dynamics
value.
The dynamics of relativistic electron capture is illustrated in Figure 13.13. Figure 13.13a shows
the relative position of electrons in the accelerating wave as a function of energy in a 1 GeV
accelerator. Figure 13.13b graphs energy versus phase. Note that most of the acceleration takes
place near the final asymptotic value of phase, φf. The output beam energy is
T Eo sinφf L, (13.77)
where L is the total length of the accelerator. A choice of φf 90E gives the highest accelerating
gradient.
In the beam rest frame, the accelerator appears to be moving close to the speed of light. The
length of the accelerator is shortened by Lorentz contraction. It is informative to calculate the
apparent accelerator length in the beam frame. Let dz be an element of axial length in the
accelerator frame and dz' be the length of the element measured in the beam frame. According to
Equation (2.24), the length elements are related by dz dz/γ , or
dz (mec 2/E) dz, (13.78)
433
Phase Dynamics
where E is the total energy of the electrons. We have seen that the accelerating gradient is almost
constant for electrons captured in the rf waveform. The total energy is approximated by
E m ec 2 T o eEo sinφf z. (13.79)
434
Phase Dynamics
As an example, consider electron motion with the acceleration history illustrated in Figure 13.13.
The peak accelerating field is 5 MV/m, f = 3 GHz, and electrons are injected with kinetic energy 1
MeV. The final phase is near 90E for particles with injection phase angles near 0E. These particles
are accelerated mainly at the peak field; the accelerator must have a length L = 200 m to generate
a 1 GeV beam. Substituting in Eq. (13.81), the apparent accelerator length in the beam frame is
only 0.7 m.
Equation (13.81) can also be applied to induction linear electron accelerators if the quantity
Eosinφf is replaced by the average accelerating gradient of the machine. Consider, for instance, an
induction accelerator with a 50 MeV output beam energy. The injection energy is usually high in
such machines; 2.5 MeV is typical. Gradients are lower than rf accelerators because of limits on
isolation core packing and breakdown on vacuum insulators in the cavity. An average gradient of
1 MV/m implies a total length L = 50 m. Substituting into Eq. (13.81), the apparent length is L' =
1.5 m.
The short effective length explains the absence of phase oscillations in relativistic rf linacs. As
viewed in the beam frame, the accelerator is passed before there is time for any relative
longitudinal motion. The short effective length has an important implication for the design of
low-current linear accelerators. The accelerator appears so short that it is unnecessary to add
transverse focusing elements for beam confinement; the beam is simply aimed straight through.
Radial defocusing of particles (see Chapter 14) is reduced greatly at high γ.
Induction linear electron accelerators are used for high-current pulsed beams. Transverse
focusing is required in these machines to prevent space charge expansion of the beam and to
reduce the severity of resonant transverse instabilities. Nonetheless, space charge effects and the
growth of instabilities are reduced when electrons have high γ. In particular, the radial force from
beam space charge decreases as 1/γ2. This is the main reason that the injector of an electron linear
accelerator is designed to operate at high voltage.
We have seen in Section 13.5 that cavity voltage waveforms have a strong effect on the current
pulse shape in an induction accelerator for ions. To demonstrate that this is not true for relativistic
particles, consider an electron beam in an accelerator with average energy γmec 2 . Assume that
there is a spread of energy parametrized by ±∆γ resulting from variations in cavity voltage
waveforms. We shall demonstrate the effect of energy spread by determining how far a beam
pulse travels before there is a significant increase in pulselength. The beam bunch length in the
accelerator frame is denoted as L. The total spread in axial velocity is
∆vz cβ cβ, (13.82)
435
Phase Dynamics
where
β 1 1/(γ∆γ)2, (13.83)
and
β 1 1/(γ∆γ)2, (13.84)
Let ∆t be the time it takes for the beam to double its length:
∆t (L/2)/(∆v z/2) (L/c) (γ3/∆γ). (13.86)
The beam travels a distance D = c∆t during this time interval. Substituting from Eq. (13.85), we
find that
D γ2L/(∆γ/γ). (13.87)
As an example, consider a 50-ns pulse of 10-MeV electrons with large energy spread,
∆γ/γ 0.5 . The beam pulse is 15 m long. Equation (13.87) implies that the distance traveled
during expansion is 12 km, much longer than any existing or proposed induction accelerator. The
implication is that electron beam pulses can be propagated through and synchronized with an
induction accelerator even with very poor voltage waveforms. On the other hand, voltage shaping
is important if the output beam must have a small energy spread.
436
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
14
Radio-Frequency Linear Accelerators
Resonant linear accelerators are usually single-pass machines. Charged particles traverse each
section only once; therefore, the kinetic energy of the beam is limited by the length of the
accelerator. Strong accelerating electric fields are desirable to achieve the maximum kinetic
energy in the shortest length. Although linear accelerators cannot achieve beam, output energy as
high as circular accelerators, the following advantages dictate their use in a variety of applications:
(1) the open geometry makes it easier to inject and extract beams; (2) high-flux beams can be
transported because of the increased options for beam handling and high-power rf structures; and
(3) the duty cycle is high. The duty cycle is defined as the fraction of time that the machine
produces beam output.
The operation of resonant linear accelerators is based on electromagnetic oscillations in tuned
structures. The structures support a traveling wave component with phase velocity close to the
velocity of accelerated particles. The technology for generating the waves and the interactions
between waves and particles were described in Chapters 12 and 13. Although the term radio
437
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
438
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
loading. Examples of high-energy ion accelerators are included to illustrate strategies for
combining the different types of acceleration units into a high-energy system.
Some factors affecting ion transport in rf linacs are discussed in Section 14.4. Included are the
transit-time factor, gap coefficients, and radial defocusing by rf fields. The transit-time factor is
important when the time for a particle to cross an acceleration gap is comparable to half the rf
period. In this case, the peak energy gain (reflecting the integral of charge times electric field
during the transit) is less than the product of charge and peak gap voltage. The transit-time
derating factor must be included to determine the synchronous particle orbit. The gap coefficient
refers to radial variations of longitudinal electric field. The degree of variation depends on the gap
geometry and rf frequency. The spatial dependence of Ez leads to increased energy spread in
the output beam or reduced longitudinal acceptance. Section 14.4 concludes with a discussion of
the effects of the radial fields of a slow traveling wave on beam containment. The existence and
nature of radial fields are derived by a transformation to the rest frame of the wave in it appears as
electrostatic field pattern. The result is that orbits in cylindrically symmetric rf linacs are radially
unstable if the particles are in a phase region of longitudinal stability. Ion linacs must therefore
incorporate additional focusing elements (such as an FD quadrupole array) to ensure containment
of the beam.
Problems of vacuum breakdown in high-gradient rf accelerators are discussed in Section 14.5.
The main difference from the discussion of Section 9.5 is the possibility for geometric growth of
the number of secondary electrons emitted from metal surfaces when the electron motion is in
synchronism with the oscillating electric fields. This process is called multipactoring. Electron
multipactoring is sometimes a significant problem in starting up rf cavities; ultimate limits on
accelerating gradient in rf accelerators may be set by ion multipactoring.
Section 14.6 describes the RFQ, a recently-developed configuration. The RFQ differs almost
completely from other rf linac structures. The fields are azimuthally asymmetric and the main
mode of excitation of the resonant structure is a TE mode rather than a TM mode. The RFQ has
significant advantages for the acceleration of high-flux ion beams in the difficult low-energy
regime (0.1-5 MeV). The structure utilizes purely electrostatic focusing from rf fields to achieve
simultaneous average transverse and longitudinal containment. The electrode geometries in the
device can be fabricated to generate precise field variations over small-scale lengths. This gives
the RFQ the capability to perform beam bunching within the accelerator, eliminating the need for
a separate buncher and beam transport system. At first glance, the RFQ appears to be difficult to
describe theoretically. In reality, the problem is tractable if we divide it into parts and apply
material from previous chapters. The properties of longitudinally uniform RFQs, such as the
interdependence of accelerating gradient and transverse acceptance and the design of shaped
electrodes, can be derived with little mathematics.
Section 14.7 reviews the racetrack microtron, an accelerator with the ability to produce
continuous high-energy electron beams. The racetrack microtron is a hybrid between linear and
circular accelerators; it is best classified as a recirculating resonant linear accelerator. The machine
consists of a short linac (with a traveling wave component with ω/k = c) and two regions of
uniform magnetic field. The magnetic fields direct electrons back to the entrance of the
accelerator in synchronism with the rf oscillations. Energy groups of electrons follow separate
439
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
orbits which require individual focusing and orbit correction elements. Synchrotron radiation
limits the beam kinetic energy of microtrons to less than 1 GeV. Beam breakup instabilities are a
major problem in microtrons; therefore, the output beam current is low (< 100 µA). Nonetheless,
the high-duty cycle of microtrons means that the time-averaged electron flux is much greater than
that from conventional electron linacs.
Radio-frequency linear accelerators are used to generate high-energy electron beams in the range
of 2 to 20 GeV. Circular election accelerators cannot reach high output kinetic energy because of
the limits imposed by synchrotron radiation. Linear accelerators for electrons are quite different
from ion accelerators. They are high-gradient, traveling wave structures used primarily for particle
physics research. Accelerating gradient is the main figure of merit; consequently, the efficiency
and duty cycle of electron linacs are low. Other accelerator configurations are used when a high
time-averaged flux of electrons at moderate energy is required. One alternative, the racetrack
microtron, is described in Section 14.7.
A. General Properties
Figure 14.1 shows a block diagram of an electron linac. The accelerator typically consists of a
sequence of identical, iris-loaded slow-wavestructures that support traveling waves. The
waveguides are driven by high-power klystron microwave amplifiers. The axial electric fields of
the waves are high, typically on the order of 8 MV/m. Parameters of the 20-GeV accelerator
at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center are listed in Table 14.1. The accelerator is over 3 km in
length; the open aperture for beam transport is only 2 cm in diameter. The successful transport of
the beam through such a long, narrow tube is a consequence of the relativistic contraction of the
apparent length of the accelerator (Section 13.6). A cross section of the accelerator is illustrated
in Figure 14.2. A scale drawing of the rf power distribution system is shown in Figure 14.3.
The features of high-energy electron linear accelerators are determined by the following
considerations.
1. Two factors motivate the use of strong accelerating electric fields: (a) high gradient is
favorable for electron capture (Section 13.6) and (b) the accelerator length for a given
final beam energy is minimized.
2. Resistive losses per unit length are large in a high-gradient accelerator because power
dissipation in the waveguide walls scales as Ez2. Dissipation is typically greater than 1
MW/m. Electron linacs must be operated on an intermittent duty cycle with a beam
pulselength of a few microseconds.
440
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
3. An iris-loaded waveguide with relatively large aperture can support slow waves with
ω/k = c. Conduction of rf energy along the waveguide is effective; nonetheless, the waves
are attenuated because of the high losses. There is little to be gained by reflecting the
traveling waves to produce a standing wave pattern. In practice, the energy of the
attenuated wave is extracted from the waveguide at the end of an accelerating section and
deposited in an external load. This reduces heating of the waveguides.
4. A pulsed electron beam is injected after the waveguides are filled with rf energy. The
beam pulse length is limited by the accelerator duty cycle and by the growth of beam
breakup instabilities. Relatively high currents ( #0.1 A) are injected to maximize the
number of electrons available for experiments.
441
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The waveguides of the 2.5-GeV accelerator at the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics
(KEK), Tsukuba, Japan, have a diameter of 0.1 m and an operating frequency of 2.856 GHz. The
choice of frequency results from the availability of high-power klystrons from the development of
the SLAC accelerator. An acceleration unit consists of a high-power coupler, a series of four
iris-loaded waveguides, a decoupler, and a load. The individual wave-guides are 2 m long. The
inner radius of the irises has a linear taper of 75 µm per cell along the length of the guide; this
maintains an approximately constant Ez along the structure, even though the traveling wave is
442
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
443
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
attenuated. Individual waveguides of a unit have the same phase velocity but vary in the
relative dimensions of the wall and iris to compensate for their differing distance from the rf
power input. There are five types of guides in the accelerator; the unit structure is varied to
minimize propagation of beam-excited modes which could contribute to the beam breakup
instability. Construction of the guides utilized modern methods of electroplating and precision
machining. A dimensional accuracy of ± 2 µm and a surface roughness of 200 D was achieved,
making postfabrication tuning unnecessary.
444
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
B. Injection
The pulsed electron injector of a high-power electron linear accelerator is designed for high
voltage (> 200 kV) to help in electron capture. The beam pulselength may vary from a few
nanoseconds to 1 µs depending on the research application. The high-current beam must be aimed
with a precision of a few milliradians to prevent beam excitation of undesired rf modes in the
accelerator. Before entering the accelerator, the beam is compressed into micropulses by a
buncher. A buncher consists of an rf cavity or a short section of iris-loaded waveguide operating
at the same frequency as the main accelerator. Electrons emerge from the buncher cavity with a
longitudinal velocity dispersion. Fast particles overtake slow particles, resulting in downstream
localization of the beam current to sharp spikes. The electrons must be confined within a small
spread in phase angle ( # 5E ) to minimize the kinetic energy spread of the output beam.
The micropulses enter the accelerator at a phase between 0E and 90E. As we saw in Section
13.6, the average phase of the pulse increases until the electrons are ultra-relativistic. For the
remainder of the acceleration cycle, acceleration takes place near a constant phase called the
asymptotic phase. The injection phase of the micropulses and the accelerating gradient are
adjusted to give an asymptotic phase of 90E. This choice gives the highest acceleration gradient
and the smallest energy spread in the bunch.
Output beam energy uniformity is a concern for high-energy physics experiments. The output
energy spread is affected by variations in the traveling wave phase velocity. Dimensional
tolerances in the waveguides on the order of 10-3 cm must be maintained for a 1% energy spread.
The structures must be carefully machined and tuned. The temperature of the waveguides under rf
power loading must be precisely controlled to prevent a shift in phase velocity from thermal
expansion.
The theory of Section 13.6 indicated that transverse focusing is unnecessary in an electron linac
because of the shortened effective length. This is true only at low beam current; at high current,
electrons are subject to the beam breakup instability [W. K. H. Panofsky and M. Bander, Rev.
Sci. Instrum. 39, 206 (1968); V. K. Neil and R. K. Cooper, Part. Accel. 1, 111 (1970)] also
known as the transverse instability or pulse shortening. The instability arises from excitation of
TM110 cavity modes in the spaces between irises. Features of the TM110 mode in a cylindrical
cavity are illustrated in Figure 14.4. Note that there are longitudinal electric fields of opposite
polarity in the upper and lower portions of the cavity and that there is a transverse magnetic field
on the axis. An electron micropulse (of sub-nanosecond duration) can be resolved into a broad
spectrum of frequencies. If the pulse has relatively high current and is eccentric with respect to the
cavity, interaction between the electrons and the longitudinal electric field of the TM110 mode
445
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
takes place. The mode is excited near the entrance of the accelerator by the initial micropulses of
the macropulse. The magnetic field of the mode deflects subsequent portions of the macropulse,
causing transverse sweeping of the beam at frequency ω110. The sweeping beam can transfer
energy continually to TM110 excitations in downstream cavities. The result is that beam sweeping
grows from the head to the tail of the microsecond duration macropulse and the strength of TM110
oscillations grows along the length of the machine. Sweeping motion leads to beam loss. The
situation is worsened if the TM110 excitation can propagate backward along the iris-loaded
waveguide toward the entrance to the accelerator or if the beam makes many passes through the
same section of accelerator (as in the microtron). This case is referred to as the regenerative beam
breakup instability.
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
2. The energy available to excite undesired modes is proportional to the beam current.
Instabilities are not observed below a certain current; the cutoff depends on the
macropulselength and the Q values of the resonant structure.
3. The amplitude of undesired modes grows with distance along the accelerator and with
time. This explains pulse shortening, the loss of late portions of the electron macropulse.
4. Mode growth is reduced by varying the accelerator structure. The phase velocity for
TM01 traveling waves is maintained constant, but the resonant frequency for TM110
standing waves between irises is changed periodically along the accelerator.
D. Frequency Equation
The dispersion relationship for traveling waves in an iris-loaded waveguide was introduced in
Section 12-10. We shall determine the approximate relationship between the inner and outer radii
of the irises for waves with phase velocity ω/k = c at a specified frequency. The frequency
equation is a first-order guide. A second-order waveguide design is performed with computer
calculations and modeling experiments.
Assume that δ, the spacing between irises, is small compared to the wavelength of the traveling
wave; the boundary fields approximate a continuous function. The tube radius is Ro and the
aperture radius is R. The complete solution consists of standing waves in the volume between the
irises and a traveling wave matched to the reactive boundary at r = Ro. The solution must
satisfy the following boundary conditions:
Ez(standing wave) 0 at r R o, (14.1)
The last two conditions proceed from the fact that E and B must be continuous in the absence of
surface charges or currents.
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
Following Section 12.3, the solution for azimuthally symmetric standing waves in the space
between the irises is
E z(r,t) A J0(ωr/c) B Y0(ωr/c). (14.4)
T'he Y0 term is retained because the region does not include the axis. Applying Eq. (14.1), Eq.
(14.4) becomes
Ez E o [Y0(ωRo/c) J0(ωr/c) J0(ωRo/c) Y0(ωr/c)]. (14.5)
The traveling wave has an electric field of the form Ez Eo exp[j(kzωt)] .We shall see in
Section 14.4 that the axial electric field of the traveling wave is approximately constant over the
aperture. Therefore, the net displacement current carried by a wave with phase velocity equal to c
is
Id πR 2 (MEz/Mt)/µ oc 2 (jω/µ oc 2) (πR 2) Eo exp[j(kzωt)]. (14.7)
The frequency equation is determined by setting Ez/Bθ for the cavities and for the traveling wave
equal at r = R [Eqs. (14.2) and (14.3)1:
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
In Eq, (14.10), dP/dz is the power lost per unit length along the slow-wave structure and U is the
electromagnetic energy per unit length. Following the discussion of Section 12.10, the group
velocity of the traveling waves is equal to
energy flux
vg .
electromagnetic energy density
Multiplying the numerator and denominator by the area of the waveguide implies
449
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
Uvg P, (14.11)
where P is the total power flow. Combining Eqs. (14.10) and (14.11), (dP/dz) (ω/Qvg) P ,or
P(z) Po exp(ωz/Qvg), (14.12)
where Po is the power input to a waveguide section at z = 0. The electromagnetic power flow is
proportional to the Poynting vector S E ×H - Ez where Ez is the magnitude of the peak
2
axial electric field. We conclude that electric field as a function of distance from the power input is
described by
E z(z) Ezo exp(z/lo), (14.13)
where lo 2Qvg/ω .An electron traveling through an accelerating section of length l gains an
energy
l
∆T e E z(z) dz. (14.14)
m
0
1.The total rf power Pt and total accelerator length L are specified. The power input to an
accelerating section of length l is ∆P Pt (l/L) .
The goal is to maximize the total energy T ∆T (L/l) by varying the number of power input
points. The total power scales as
Pt - (vgEzo2 ) (L/l),
where the first factor is proportional to the input power flux to a section and the second factor is
the number of sections. Therefore, with constant power, Ezo scales as l . Substituting the scaling
for Ezo in Eq. (14.15) and multiplying by L/l, we find that the beam output energy scales as
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
T - l [1 exp(l/lo)]/l
or
T - [1 exp(l/lo)] / l/lo. (14.16)
Inspection of Figure 14.6 shows that T is maximized when l/lo = 1.3; the axial electric field drops
to 28% of its initial value over the length of a section. It is preferable from the point of view of
particle dynamics to maintain a constant gradient along the accelerator. Figure 14.6 implies that
l/lo can be reduced to 0.8 with only a 2% drop in the final energy. In this case, the output electric
field in a section is 45% of the initial field.
Fields can also be equalized by varying waveguide properties over the length of a section. If the
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
wall radius and the aperture radius are decreased consistent with Eq. (14.9), the phase velocity is
maintained at c while the axial electric field is raised for a given power flux. Waveguides can be
designed for constant axial field in the presence of decreasing power flux. In practice, it is difficult
to fabricate precision waveguides with continuously varying geometry. A common compromise is
to divide an accelerator section into subsections with varying geometry. The sections must be
carefully matched so that there is no phase discontinuity between them. This configuration has the
additional benefit of reducing the growth of beam breakup instabilities.
F. Shunt Impedance
The shunt impedance is a figure-of-merit quantity for electron and ion linear accelerators. It is
defined by
Pt Vo2 / (ZsL), (14.17)
where Pt is the total power dissipated in the cavity walls of the accelerator, Vo is the total
accelerator voltage (the beam energy in electron volts divided by the particle charge), and L is the
total accelerator length. The shunt impedance Zs has dimensions of ohms per meter. An alternate
form for shunt impedance is
where dP/dz is the resistive power loss per meter. The power loss of Eq. (14.17) has the form of a
resistor of value ZsL in parallel with the beam load. This is the origin of the term shunt impedance.
The efficiency of a linear accelerator is given by
energy efficiency Zb/(Zb ZsL), (14.19)
where Zb is the beam impedance, Zb Vo/i b . The shunt impedance for most accelerator rf
structures lies in the range of 25 to 50 MΩ/m. As an example, consider a 2.5-GeV linear electron
accelerator with a peak on-axis gradient of 8 MV/m. The total accelerator length is 312 m. With a
shunt impedance of 50 MΩ/m, the total parallel resistance is 1.6 x 1010 Ω. Equation (14.17)
implies that the power to maintain the high acceleration gradient is 400 MW.
Linear accelerators for ions differ greatly from electron machines. Ion accelerators must support
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
traveling wave components with phase velocity well below the speed of light. In the energy range
accessible to linear accelerators, ions are non-relativistic; therefore, there is a considerable change
in the synchronous particle velocity during acceleration. Slow-wave structures are not useful for
ion acceleration. An iris-loaded waveguide has small apertures for ω/k « c . The conduction of
electromagnetic energy via slow waves is too small to drive a multi-cavity waveguide. Alternative
methods of energy coupling are used to generate traveling wave components with slow phase
velocity.
An ion linear accelerator typically consists of a sequence of cylindrical cavities supporting
standing waves. Cavity oscillations are supported either by individual power feeds or through
inter-cavity coupling via magnetic fields. The theory of ion accelerators is most effectively carried
out by treating cavities as individual oscillators interacting through small coupling terms.
Before studying rf linear ion accelerators based on microwave technology, we will consider the
Wideröe accelerators [R.Wideroe, Arch. Elektrotechn. 21, 387 (1928)] (Fig. 14.7a), the first
successful linear accelerator. The Wideröe accelerator operates at a low frequency (1-10 MHz);
it still has application for initial acceleration of heavy ions. The device consists of a number of
tubes concentric with the axis connected to a high-voltage oscillator. At a particular time, half the
tubes are at negative potential with respect to ground and half the tubes are positive. Electric
fields are concentrated in narrow acceleration gaps; they are excluded from the interior of the
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
tubes. The tubes are referred to as drift tubes because ions drift at constant velocity inside the
shielded volume. Assume that the synchronous ion crosses the first gap at t = 0 when the fields
are aligned as shown in Figure 14.7b. The ion is accelerated across the gap and enters the
zero-field region in the first drift tube. The ion reaches the second gap at time
∆t1 L1/vs1. (14.20)
The axial electric fields at t = t1 are distributed as shown in Figure 14.7c if t1 is equal to half the rf
period, or
∆t1 π/ω. (14.21)
The particle is accelerated in the second gap when Eq. (14.21) holds.
It is possible to define a synchronous orbit with continuous acceleration by increasing the length
of subsequent drift tubes. The velocity of synchronous ions following the nth gap is
V1 (LCcωo) V2 (1 LCω2 LC cωo) 0. (14.22)
2 2
here To is the injection kinetic energy, Vo is the peak gap voltage, and φs is the synchronous
phase. The length of drift tube n is
Ln vn (π/ω). (14.23)
The drift tubes of Figure 14.7a are drawn to scale for the acceleration of Hg+ ions injected at 2
MeV with a peak gap voltage of 100 kV and a frequency of 4 MHz.
The Wideröe accelerator is not useful for light-ion acceleration and cannot be extrapolated to
produce high-energy heavy ions. At high energy, the drift tubes are unacceptably long, resulting in
a low average accelerating gradient. The drift tube length is reduced if the rf frequency is
increased, but this leads to the following problems:
1.The acceleration gaps conduct large displacement currents at high frequency, loading the
rf generator.
2.Adjacent drift tubes act as dipole antennae at high frequency with attendant loss of rf
energy by radiation.
The high-frequency problems are solved if the acceleration gap is enclosed in a cavity with
resonant frequency ω. The cavity walls reflect the radiation to produce a standing electromagnetic
oscillation. The cavity inductance in combination with the cavity and gap capacitance constitute
an LC circuit. Displacement currents are supported by the electromagnetic oscillations. The
power supply need only contribute energy to compensate for resistive losses and beam loading.
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
A resonant cavity for ion acceleration is shown in Figure 14.8a. The TM010 mode produces
good electric fields for acceleration. We have studied the simple cylindrical cavity in Section 12.3.
The addition of drift tube extensions to the cylindrical cavity increases the capacitance on axis,
thereby lowering the resonant frequency. The resonant frequency can be determined by a
perturbation analysis or through the use of computer codes. The electric field distribution for a
linac cavity computed by the program SUPERFISH is shown in Figure 14.8b.
Linear ion accelerators are composed of an array of resonant cavities. We discussed the
synthesis of slow waves by independently phased cavities in Section 12.9. Two frequently
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
encountered cases of cavity phasing are illustrated in Figures 14.9a and 14.9b. In the first, the
electric fields of all cavities are in phase, while in the second there is a phase change of 180E
between adjacent cavities. The synchronous condition for the in-phase array is satisfied if ions
traverse the inter-gap distance Ln in one rf period:
Ln vn (2π/ω) βλ, (14.24)
where β vn/c and λ 2πc/ω . Hence, an accelerator with the phasing of Figure 14.9a is
referred to as a βλ linac. Similarly, the accelerator of Figure 14.9b is a βλ/2 linac because the
synchronous condition implies that
Ln βλ/2. (14.25)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
a mechanically simplified version in which the two walls separating cavities are combined. In the
absence of the drift tubes, the cavities have the same resonant frequency because ω010 does not
depend on the cavity length (Table 12.1). This reflects the fact that the capacitance of a cylindrical
cavity scales as 1/d while the inductance increases as d. The additional capacitance of the
acceleration gap upsets the balance. It is necessary to adjust the gap geometry in different cavities
to maintain a constant resonant frequency. The capacitance is determined by the drift tube
diameter and the gap width. Figure 14.10b illustrates variation of drift tube diameter to
compensate for increasing cavity length along the direction of acceleration. Resonant frequencies
of individual cavities must be matched to within a factor of 1/Q so that all cavities are excited by
the driving wave; a typical requirement is 1 part in 104. The design procedure for a cavity array
often consists of the following stages:
3. The final cavity array is tuned at low power. Small frequency corrections can be made
by deforming cavity walls (dimpling) or by adjusting tuning slugs which change the
capacitance or inductance of individual cavities.
The electric fields and wall currents for the TM010 mode in a βλ structure are illustrated in Figure
14.9a. Note the distribution of electric field and current on the wall separating two cavities:
1. The currents in the two cavities are opposite and approximately equal; therefore, the
wall carries zero net current.
2. Electric fields have equal magnitude and direction on both sides of the wall; therefore,
the surface charge densities on the two sides of the wall have equal magnitude and
opposite sign. There is zero net charge per area on the wall.
The field pattern is almost unchanged if the wall is removed (Fig. 14.10c). Eliminating the
intervening walls leads to the drift tube accelerator of Figure 14.10c. Shaped drift tubes with
increasing length along the direction of acceleration are supported by rods. The rods are located
at positions of zero radial electric field; they do not seriously perturb the field distribution. An
alternate view of the DTL is that it is a long cylindrical cavity with a single rf power feed to drive
the TM010 mode; the variation of drift tube length and diameter maintains synchronization with
accelerated particles and compensates the tube perturbations to maintain a constant axial electric
field.
Magnetic quadrupole lenses for beam focusing are located inside the drift tubes. Power and
cooling water for the magnets enter along the tube supports. The development of strong
permanent magnetic materials (such as orientated samarium-cobalt) has generated interest in
adjustable permanent magnet quadrupole lenses. One of the main operational problems in DTLs is
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
458
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
maintaining the TM010 mode in a complex structure with many competing modes. Contributions of
modes with transverse electric fields are particularly dangerous because they lead to beam loss.
An effective solution to stabilize the rf oscillations is to incorporate tuning elements in the
structure. Post couplers are illustrated in Figure 14.10d. The posts are orthogonal to the drift tube
supports. They have little effect on the fundamental acceleration mode which has only longitudinal
electric fields. On the other hand, the combination of drift tube support and post coupler causes a
significant perturbation of other modes that have transverse electric fields. The effect is to shift
the frequency of competing modes away from that of the fundamental so that they are less likely
to be excited. A second purpose of the post couplers is to add periodic loading of the drift tube
structures. Rotation of the post adds a small shunt capacitance to selected drift tubes. The variable
loading is used to adjust the distribution of fundamental mode accelerating fields along the
resonant cavity.
For a constrained frequency (set by rf power tube technology) and peak electric field (set by
breakdown limits), a βλ/2 linac has twice the average accelerating gradient as a βλ structure such
as the drift tube linac. For a given beam output energy, a βλ/2 accelerator is half as long as a βλ
machine. Practical βλ/2 geometries are based on coupled cavity arrays. In this section, we shall
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
analyze the coupled cavity formalism and study some practical configurations.
To begin, we treat two cylindrical resonant cavities connected by a coupling hole (Fig. 14.11a).
The cavities oscillate in the TM010 mode. Each cavity can be represented as a lumped element LC
circuit with ωo 1/ LC (Fig. 14.11b). Coupling of modes through an on-axis hole is capacitive.
The electric field of one cavity makes a small contribution to displacement current in the other
(Fig. 14.11c). In the circuit model we can represent the coupling by a capacitor Cc between the
two oscillator circuits (Fig. 14.llb). If coupling is weak, Cc « C . Similarly, an azimuthal slot near
the outer diameter of the wall between the cavities results in magnetic coupling. Some of the
toroidal magnetic field of one cavity leaks into the other cavity, driving wall currents through
inductive coupling (Fig. 14.11d). In the circuit model, a magnetic coupling slot is represented by a
mutual inductance (Fig. 14.11e).
The following equations describe voltage and current in the circuit of Figure 14.11b:
C(dV1/dt) I1, (14.26)
When coupling is small, voltages and currents oscillate at frequency to ω ωo and the quantity i
is much smaller than I1 or I2. In this case, Eq. (14.30) has the approximate form
i (Cc ω2o) (V1 V2). (14.31)
Assuming solutions of the form V1,V2 - exp(jωt) , Eqs. (14.26)-(14.31) can be combined to give
V1 (1 LCω2 LCcω2o) V2 (LCcω2o) 0, (14.32)
Substituting Ω ω/ωo and κ Cc/C , Eqs. (14.32) and (14.33) can be written in matrix form:
1Ω2κ κ V1
0. (14.34)
κ 1Ω2κ V2
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
461
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The equations have a nonzero solution if the determinant of the matrix equals zero, or
(1Ω2κ2) κ2 0 (14.35)
Ω2 ω2/ωo 1. (14.37)
There are two modes of oscillation for the coupled two-cavity system. Substituting Eqs. (14.36)
and (14.37) into Eq. (14.32) or (14.33) shows that V1 = -V2 for the first mode and V1 = V2 for the
second. Figure 14.12 illustrates the physical interpretation of the modes. In the first mode, electric
fields are aligned; the coupling hole does not influence the characteristics of the oscillation (note
that ωo is the oscillation frequency of a single cavity without the central region). We have
previously derived this result for the drift tube linac. In the second mode, the fields are anti-
aligned. The interaction of electric fields near the hole cancels coupling through the aperture. A
coupled two-cavity system can oscillate in either the βλ or the βλ/2 mode, depending on the input
frequency of the rf generator. A similar solution results with magnetic coupling.
In a coupled cavity linac, the goal is to drive a large number of cavities from a single power
feed. Energy is transferred from the feed cavity to other cavities via magnetic or electric coupling.
Assume that there are N identical cavities oscillating in the TM010 mode with uniform capacitive
coupling, represented by Cc. Figure 14.13 illustrates current and voltage in the circuit model of
the nth cavity. The equations describing the circuit are
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The assumption of small coupling is inherent in Eq. (14.40). Taking time variations of the form
exp(jωt), Eqs. (14.38)-14.40 can be combined into the single finite difference equation
Vn1 [(1Ω22κ)/κ] Vn Vn1 0, (14.41)
we find that
cosµ (1Ω22κ)/2κ. (14.43)
The resonant frequencies of the coupled cavity system can be determined by combining Eq.
(14.43) with appropriate boundary conditions. The cavity oscillation problem is quite similar to
the problem of an array of unconstrained, coupled pendula. The appropriate boundary condition is
that the displacement amplitude (voltage) is maximum for the end elements of the array.
Therefore, the phase term in Eq. (14.42) is zero. Applying the boundary condition in the end
cavity implies that
cos[(N1)µ] ±1. (14.44)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The quantity m has a maximum value N-1 because there can be at most N different values of Vn in
the coupled cavity system.
A coupled system of N cavities has N modes of oscillation with frequencies given by
Ωm ωm/ωo 1 2κ [1 cos(2πm/N1)]. (14.46)
The physical interpretation of the allowed modes is illustrated in Figure 14.14. Electric field
amplitudes are plotted for the seven modes of a seven-cavity system. In microwave nomenclature,
the modes are referenced according to the value of µ. The 0 mode is equivalent to a βλ structure
while the π mode corresponds to βλ/2.
At first glance, it a pears that the π mode is the optimal choice for a high-gradient accelerator.
Unfortunately, this mode cannot be used because it has a very low energy transfer rate between
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
cavities. We can demonstrate this by calculating the group velocity of the traveling wave
components of the standing wave. In the limit of a large number of cavities, the positive-going
wave can be represented as
V(z,t) exp[j(µz/d ωt)]. (14.47)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
where ωo is the resonant frequency of an uncoupled cavity. For the π mode, Eq. (14.48) implies
d (ω/k) π/ωoΩ (βλ/2)/Ω. (14.49)
Equation (14.49) is the βλ/2 condition adjusted for the shift in resonant oscillation caused by
cavity coupling.
The group velocity is
Note that vg is zero for the 0 and π modes, while energy transport is maximum for the π/2 mode.
The π/2 mode is the best choice for rf power coupling but it has a relatively low gradient
because half of the cavities are unexcited. An effective solution to this problem is to displace the
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
467
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
468
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
unexcited cavities to the side and pass the ion beam through the even-numbered cavities. The result
is a βλ/2 accelerator with good power coupling. The side-coupled linac [See B. C. Knapp, E. A.
Knapp, G. J. Lucas, and J. M. Potter, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS-12, 159 (1965)] is illustrated in
Figure 14.15a. Intermediate cavities are coupled to an array of cylindrical cavities by magnetic
coupling slots. Low-level electromagnetic oscillations in the side cavities act to transfer energy
along the system. There is little energy dissipation in the side cavities. Figure 14.15b illustrates an
improved design. The side cavities are reentrant to make them more compact (see Section 12.2).
The accelerator cavity geometry is modified from the simple cylinder to reduce shunt impedance.
The simple cylindrical cavity has a relatively high shunt impedance because wall current at the
outside corners dissipates energy while making little contribution to the cavity inductance.
The disk and washer structure (Fig. 14.16) is an alternative to the side-coupled linac. It has high
shunt impedance and good field distribution stability. The accelerating cavities are defined by
"washers." The washers are suspended by supports connected to the wall along a radial electric
field null. The coupling cavities extend around the entire azimuth. The individual sections of the
disk-and-washer structure are strongly coupled. The perturbation analysis we used to treat coupled
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
cavities is inadequate to determine the resonant frequencies of the disk-and-washer structure. The
development of strongly-coupled cavity geometries results largely from the application of digital
computers to determine normal modes.
In contrast to electron accelerators, ion linear accelerators may be composed of a variety of
acceleration structures. Many factors must be considered in choosing the accelerating components,
such as average gradient, field stability, shunt impedance, fabrication costs, and beam throughput.
Energy efficiency has become a prime concern; this reflects the rising cost of electricity as well as
an expansion of interest in the accelerator community from high-energy physics to commercial
applications. Figure 14.17 shows an accelerator designed for medical irradiation. Three types of
linear accelerators are used. Notice that the factor of 4 increase in frequency between the low- and
high-energy sections. Higher frequency gives higher average gradient. The beam micro-bunches
are compressed during acceleration in the drift-tube linac (see Section 13.4) and are matched into
every fourth bucket of the coupled cavity linac.
Parameters of the Los Alamos Meson Facility (LAMF) accelerator are listed in Table 14.2. The
machine, illustrated in Figure 14.18, was designed to accelerate high-current proton beams for
meson production. Parameters of the UNILAC are listed in Table 14.3. The UNILAC, illustrated
in Figure 14.19, accelerates a wide variety of highly ionized heavy ions for nuclear physics studies.
The diameter of accelerator drift tubes and the width of acceleration gaps cannot be chosen
arbitrarily. The dimensions are constrained by the properties of electromagnetic oscillations. In this
section, we shall study three examples of rf field properties that influence the design of linear
accelerators: the transit-time factor, the gap coefficient, and the radial defocusing forces of
traveling waves.
The transit-time factor applies mainly to drift tube accelerators with narrow acceleration gaps.
The transit-time factor is important when the time for particles to cross the gap is comparable to or
longer than the half-period of an electromagnetic oscillation. If d is the gap width, this condition
can be written
d/vs $ π/ω. (14.51)
where vs is the synchronous velocity. In this limit, particles do not gain energy eEod sinωt .
Instead, they are accelerated by a time-averaged electric field smaller than Eo sinωt .
Assume that the gap electric field has time variation
Ez(r,z,t) Eo cos(ωtφ). (14.52)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
1.The time t = 0 corresponds to the time that the particle is at the middle of the gap.
2. The change in particle velocity over the gap is small compared to vs.
The quantity φ is equivalent to the particle phase in the limit of a gap of zero thickness (see Fig.
13.1). The change in longitudinal motion is approximately
d/2v s d/2v s
Note that the term involving sinωt is an odd function; its integral is zero. The total change in
momentum is
∆pz (2qE o/ω) sin(d/2vs) sinφ. (14.55)
The ratio of the momentum gain for a particle in a gap with nonzero width to the ideal thin gap is
defined as the transit-time factor:
Tf ∆p/∆po sin(ωd/2vs)/(ωd/2vs). (14.57)
The transit-time factor is also approximately equal to the ratio of energy gain in a finite-width gap
to that in a zero-width gap.
Defining a particle transit time as ∆t d/vs , Eq. (14.57) can be rewritten
Tf sin(ω∆t/2)/(ω∆t/2). (14.58)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
synchronous phase is 60E and the peak gap voltage is 100 kV, the cesium ions gain an average
energy of (100)(0.963)(sin60E) = 83 keV per gap.
The gap coefficient characterizes the radial variation of accelerating fields across the dimension
of the beam. Variations in Ez lead to a spread in beam energy; particles with large-amplitude
transverse oscillations gain a different energy than particles on the axis. Large longitudinal velocity
spread is undesirable for research applications and may jeopardize longitudinal confinement in rf
buckets. We shall first perform a non-relativistic derivation because the gap coefficient is primarily
of interest in linear ion accelerators.
The slow-wave component of electric field chiefly responsible for particle acceleration has the
form
Ez(0,z,t) E o sin(ωtωz/vs). (14.59)
As discussed in Section 13.3, a slow wave appears to be an electrostatic field with no magnetic
field when observed in a frame moving at velocity vs. The magnitude of the axial electric field is
unchanged by the transformation. The on-axis electric field in the beam rest frame is
Ez(0,z ) E o sin(2πz /λ), (14.60)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
where λ’ is the wavelength in the rest frame. In the nonrelativistic limit, λ λ so that
λ 2πv s/ω. (14.61)
The origin and sign convention in Eq. (14.60) are chosen so that a positive particle at z' = 0 has
zero phase. In the limit that the beam diameter is small compared to λ’, the electrostatic field can
be described by the paraxial approximation. According to Eq. (6.5), the radial electric field is
Er(r ,z ) (r /2) (2π/λ) Eo cos(2πz /λ). (14.62)
The energy gain of a particle at the outer radius of the beam (rb) is reduced by a factor
proportional to the square of the gap coefficient:
∆T/T (πrb/λ)2. (14.64)
The gap coefficient must be small compared to unity for a small energy spread. Equation (14.64)
sets a limit on the minimum wavelength of electromagnetic waves in terms of the beam radius and
allowed energy spread:
λ > πr b/ ∆T/T. (14.65)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The problems of the gap coefficient and radial defocusing are reduced greatly for relativistic
particles. For a relativistic derivation, we must include the fact that the measured wavelength of the
slow wave is not the same in the stationary frame and the beam rest frame. Equation (2.23) implies
that the measurements are related by
λ λ/γ, (14.66)
where γ is the relativistic factor, γ 1/ 1 (vs/c)2 . Again, primed symbols denote the
synchronous particle rest frame.
The radial and axial fields in the wave rest frame can be expressed in terms of the stationary
frame wavelength:
Er (r ,z ) Eo (r /2) (2π/γλ) cos(2πz /γλ), (14.67)
Ez (r ,z ) Eo [1 (πr /γλ)2] sin(2πz /γλ). (14.68)
Note that the peak value of axial field is unchanged in a relativistic transformation ( Eo Eo ).
Transforming Eq. (14.68) to the stationary frame, we find that
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
with the replacement r r , z z /γ . Equation (14.69) differs from Eq. 14.63 by the γ factor in
the denominator of the gap coefficient. The radial variation of the axial accelerating field is
considerably reduced at relativistic energies.
The transformation of radial electric fields to the accelerator frame is more complicated. A pure
radial electric field in the rest frame corresponds to both a radial electric field and a toroidal
magnetic field in the stationary frame:
Er γ (Er vzBθ). (14.70)
Furthermore, the total radial force exerted by the rf fields on a particle is written in the stationary
frame as
Fr q (Er vzBθ). (14.71)
Comparison with Eq. (14.62) shows that the defocusing force is reduced by a factor of γ2. Radial
defocusing by rf fields is negligible in high-energy electron linear accelerators.
Strong electric fields greater than 10 MV/m can be sustained in rf accelerators. This results partly
from the fact that there are no exposed insulators in regions of high electric field. In addition, rf
accelerators are run at high duty cycle, and it is possible to condition electrodes to remove surface
whiskers. The accelerators are operated for long periods of time at high vacuum, minimizing
problems of surface contamination on electrodes.
Nonetheless, there are limits to the voltage gradient set by resonant particle motion in the
oscillating fields. The process is illustrated for electrons in an acceleration gap in Figure 14.22. An
electron emitted from a surface during the accelerating half-cycle of the rf field can be accelerated
to an opposing electrode. The electron produces secondary electrons at the surface. If the
transit time of the initial electron is about one-half that of the rf period, the electric field will be in a
478
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
direction to accelerate the secondary electrons back to the first surface. If the secondary electron
coefficient δ is greater than unity, the electron current grows. Table 14.4 shows maximum
secondary electron coefficients for a variety of electrode materials. Also included are the incident
electron energy corresponding to peak emission and to δ = 1. Emission falls off at a higher electron
energy. Table 14.4 gives values for clean, outgassed surfaces. Surfaces without special cleaning
may have a value of δ as high as 4.
The resonant growth of electron current is called multipactoring, implying multiple electron
impacts. Multipactoring can lead to a number of undesirable effects. The growing electron current
absorbs rf energy and may clamp the magnitude of electric fields at the multipactoring level.
Considerable energy can be deposited in localized regions of the electrodes, resulting in outgassing
or evaporation of material. This often leads to a general cavity breakdown.
479
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
Conditions for electron multipactoring can be derived easily for the case of a planar gap with
electrode spacing d. The electric field inside the gap is assumed spatially uniform with time
variation given by
E(x,t) E o sin(ωtφ). (14.73)
The quantity φ represents the phase of the rf field at the time an electron is produced on an
electrode. Equation (14.74) can be integrated directly. Applying the boundary conditions that x = 0
and dx/dt = 0 at t = 0, we find that
x (eEo/meω2) [ωtcosφ sinφ sin(ωtφ)]. (14.75)
Resonant acceleration occurs when electrons move a distance d in a time interval equal to an odd
number of rf half-periods. When this condition holds, electrons emerging from the impacted
electrode are accelerated in the - x direction; they follow the same equation of motion as the initial
electrons. The resonance condition is
∆t (2n1) (π/ω). (14.76)
for n = 0, 1, 2, 3,.... Combining Eqs. (14.75) and (14.76), the resonant condition can be rewritten
d (eEo/meω2) [(2n1) π cosφ 2sinφ], (14.77)
because sin(ω∆tφ) sinφ . Furthermore, we can use Eq. (14.75) to find the velocity of
electrons arriving at an electrode:
vx(xd) (2eEo/meω2) cosφ. (14.78)
The solution of Eq. (14.74) is physically realizable only for particles leaving the initial electrode
within a certain range of φ. First, the electric field must be negative to extract electrons from the
surface at t = 0, or sinφ > 0. A real solution exists only if electrons arrive at the opposite electrode
with positive velocity, or cosφ > 0. These two conditions are met in the phase range
0 < φ < π/2. (14.79)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
Figure 14.23 is a plot of Eq. (14.77) showing the breakdown parameter (eEo/meω2d) versus the rf
phase at which electrons leave the surface. Electron resonance is possible, in principle, over a
range of gap voltage from 0 to V meω2d 2/2e .
Electron multipactoring is a significant problem in the low-energy sections of linear ion
accelerators. Consider, for example, an acceleration gap for 2-MeV protons. Assume that the
proton transit time ∆t is such that ω∆t 1 . This implies that ωd βc . Substituting the above
condition in Eq. (14.78) and taking the n = 0 resonance condition, the electron energy at impact is
Ec (2/π2) (βcosφ)2 (mec 2). The quantity β equals 0.065 for 2-MeV protons. The peak electron
energy occurs when cosφ = 1 (φ = 0); for the example it is 440 eV. Table 14.4 shows that this
value is close to the energy of peak secondary electron emission. Electrons emitted at other phases
arrive at the opposing electron with lower energy; therefore, they are not as likely to initiate a
resonant breakdown. For this reason, the electron multipactoring condition is often quoted as
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
protons. This corresponds to a peak voltage of 730 V. At higher field levels, the resonance
condition can be met over longer pathlengths at higher field stresses. This corresponds to
high-energy electrons, which generally have secondary emission coefficients less than unity.
Therefore, with clean surfaces it is possible to proceed beyond multipactoring by raising the rf
electric field level rapidly. This may not be the case with contaminated electrodes; surface effects
contribute much of the mystery and aggravation associated with rf breakdown.
The ultimate limits for rf breakdown in clean acceleration gaps were investigated experimentally
by Kilpatrick [W.D. Kilpatrick, "Criterion for Vacuum Sparking to Include Both RF and DC,"
University of California Radiation Laboratory, UCRL-2321, 1953]. The following formula is
consistent with a wide variety of observations:
VK (2πd/λ)2 (m pc 2)/πe. (14.81)
Note that Eq. (14.81) is identical to Eq. 14.80 with the replacement of the electron mass by that of
the proton. The Kilpatrick voltage limit is about a factor of 2000 times the electron multipactoring
condition. The similarity of the equations suggests proton multipactoring as a mechanism for
high-voltage rf breakdown. The precise mechanisms of proton production on electrode surfaces
are unknown. Proton production may be associated with thin surface coatings. Present research on
extending rf systems past the Kilpatrick limit centers on the use of proton-free electrodes.
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
fact motivates the choice of a high injection voltage, typically greater than 1 MV. The resulting
system with adequate insulation occupies a large volume. The extracted beam must be bunched for
injection into an rf accelerator. This implies long transport sections with magnetic quadrupole
lenses. Magnetic lenses are ineffective for focusing low-energy ion beams, so that flux limits are
low.
In contrast, the RFQ relies on strong electrostatic focusing in a narrow channel; this allows
proton beam current in the range of 10 to 100 mA. An additional advantage of the RFQ is that it
can combine the functions of acceleration and bunching. This is accomplished by varying the
geometry of electrodes so that the relative magnitudes of transverse and longitudinal electric fields
vary through the machine. A steady-state beam can be injected directly into the RFQ and reversibly
bunched while it is being accelerated.
The quadrupole focusing channel treated in Chapter 8 has static fields with periodically
alternating field polarity along the beam axis. In order to understand the RFQ, we will consider the
geometry illustrated in Figure 14.24. The quadrupole electrodes are axially uniform but have
time-varying voltage of the form Vosinωt . It is valid to treat the fields near the axis in the
electrostatic limit if a « c/ω , where a is the distance between the electrodes and the axis. In this
case, the electric fields are simply the expressions of Eqs. (4.22) and (4.23)multiplied by sinωt:
Ex(x,y,z,t) (Eox/a) sinωt, (14.82)
The oscillating electric fields near the axis are supported by excitation of surrounding microwave
structures. Off-axis fields must be described by the full set of Maxwell equations.
483
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
Equation (14.84) can be solved by the theory of the Mathieu equations. We will take a simpler
approach to arrive at an approximate solution. Assume that the period for a transverse particle
orbit oscillation is long compared to 2π/ω . In this limit, particle motion has two components; a
slow betatron oscillation (parametrized by frequency Ω) and a rapid small-amplitude motion at
frequency ω. We shall seek a solution by iteration using the trial solution
x(t) x0 sinΩt x1 sinωt. (14.85)
where
x1 « x0, (14.86)
Ω « ω, (14.87)
The first term on the left-hand side and the second term on the right-hand side of Eq. (14.89) are
dropped according to Eqs. (14.88) and (14.86). The result is an equation for the high-frequency
motion:
ω2x1 [qEox0sin(Ωt)/a]/m
or
x1 [qEox0sin(Ωt)/a]/mω2. (14.90)
The second step is to substitute Eq. (14.90) into Eq. (14.84) and average over a fast oscillation
period to find the long-term motion. Terms containing sinωt average to zero. The remaining terms
imply the following approximate equation for x0:
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
where sin2ωt denotes the average over a time 2π/ω. Equation (14.91) implies that Ω has the real
value
Ω (eE o/maω)/ 2. (14.92)
The long-term motion is oscillatory; the time-varying quadrupole fields provide net focusing.
Numerical solutions to Eq. (14.84) are plotted in Figure 14.25 for ω3Ω and ω10Ω . The phase
relationship of Eq. (14.90) guarantees that particles are at a larger displacement when the fields are
focusing. This is the origin of the average focusing effect. Orbit solutions in the y direction are
similar.
485
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
486
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The quadrupole lens of Figure 14.24 is useful only for focusing. It exerts no longitudinal force on
ions. Axial field components are introduced if the shape of the electrodes is modified to that of
Figure 14.26. The distance between the horizontal electrodes and the axis is modulated with spatial
period D. There is a similar modulation of the vertical electrodes 90E out of phase. We postulate
transverse fields of the form
Ex(x,y,z,t) (E ox/a) [1 ε sin(2πz/D)] sinωt, (14.93)
Again, the electrostatic approximation is invoked near the axis. Following the discussion of Section
4.4, Eqs. (14.93) and (14.94) are valid if (1) they are consistent with the Laplace equation and (2)
the generating electrode surfaces lie on an equipotential. We shall show that both conditions can be
satisfied.
Assume that a particle enters the system at the origin near time t # π/2ω . The electric fields in
the x-z plane are plotted in Figure 14.27a. The particle experiences a defocusing, quadrupolelike
transverse field but also sees an accelerating component of field. Assume further than the particle
moves a distance D/4 in the time interval π/2ω . The particle position and field configuration are
sketched at t 3π/2ω in Figure 14.27c. Transverse fields are focusing, while the axial component
of the electric field is still positive. A synchronous particle orbit can be defined for the system.
We can find the synchronous orbit by determining the axial electric fields and solving the
longitudinal equation of motion. If the electrostatic potential field pattern satisfies the Laplace
equation, then
ME z/Mz (MEx/Mx MEy/My). (14.95)
The standing wave pattern of Eq. (14.96) can be resolved into two traveling waves,
Ez (εEoD/2πa) [sin(2πz/Dωt) sin(2πz/Dωt)]. (14.97)
The negative-going wave in the first term can be neglected. The positive-going component will
interact strongly with particles moving at the synchronous velocity,
vs Dω/2π. (14.98)
Assume that the synchronous particle enters the system at the origin of Figure 14.27 with velocity vs
at time t 0 φ/ω . Subsequently, the synchronous particle experiences a constant accelerating
axial electric field of magnitude
487
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The choice of axial origin and rf field phase illustrated in Figure 14.27 makes φ synonymous with
the particle phase defined in Figure 13.3. As we found in Section 13.1, particle bunches have
longitudinal stability if the synchronous phase is in the range 0 < φ < 90E . In contrast to a drift
tube accelerator, an RFQ can be designed with only two traveling wave components. An alternate
view is that the RFQ provides almost continuous acceleration. The equation of motion for the
synchronous particle is
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
If the field modulation factor ε is constant, Eq. (14.101) indicates that the length of modulations
should increase linearly moving from entrance to exit of the RFQ.
The transverse equation of motion for a particle passing z = 0 at time φ/ω is
d 2x/dt 2 (qEox/ma) [1 ε sin(2πz/D)] sin(ωtφ)
(14.102)
(qEox/ma) sin(ωtφ) (εqEox/2ma) [cos(2πz/Dωtφ) cos(2πz/Dωtφ)].
Again, we retain only the part of the force resonant with synchronous particles. Applying the
synchronous condition [Eq. (14.98)], Eq. (14.102) becomes
d 2x/dt 2 (qEox/ma) sin(ωtφ) (εqEox/2ma) cosφ. (14.103)
The first term on the right-hand side represents the usual transverse focusing from the rf
quadrupole. This component of motion is solved by the same method as the axially uniform
oscillating quadrupole. The second term represents a defocusing force arising from the axial
modulation of the quadrupole electrodes. The origin of this force can be understood by inspection
of Figure 14.27. A sequence of particle position and electrode polarities is shown for a particle with
a phase near 90E. On the average, the electrode spacing in the x direction is smaller during
transverse defocusing and larger during the focusing phase for φ < 90E . This brings about a
reduction of the average focusing force.
The solution for average betatron oscillations of particles is
x(t) x0 cosΩt
where
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The same result is determined for motion in the y direction. There is net transverse focusing if Ω is a
real number, or
ε# qEo/(maω2 cosφ). (14.105)
The longitudinal electric field is proportional to ε. Therefore, there are limits on the accelerating
gradient that can be achieved while preserving transverse focusing:
Ez # (qE o2D tanφ)/(2πa 2mω2). (14.106)
Note that high longitudinal gradient is favored by high pole tip field (Eo) and a narrow beam channel
(a).
The following parameters illustrate the results for the output portion of a 2.5-MeV RFQ
operating at 440 MHz. The channel radius is a = 0.0025 m, the synchronous phase is φ 60E , the
cell length is 0.05 m, and the pole tip field is 10 MV/m, well below the Kilpatrick limit. The limiting
longitudinal gradient is 4.4 MV/m. The corresponding modulation factor is ε = 0.05. A typical RFQ
design accelerates protons to 2.5 MeV in a length less than 2 m.
Equations (14.93), (14.94), and (14.96) can be used to find the electrostatic potential function
following the same method used in Section 4.4. The result is
Φ(x,y,z) (Eox 2/2a) [1 ε sin(2πz/D)]
(14.107)
(Eoy 2/2a) [1 ε sin(2πz/D)] (εEoD 2/4π2a) sin(2πz/D).
The equipotential surfaces Φ ±Eoa/2 determine the three-dimensional electrode shape. The
equation for the minimum displacement of the vertical vanes from the axis is
2
xmin [a 2 (εD 2/2π2) sin(2πz/D)]/[1 ε sin(2πz/D)].
This function is plotted in Figure 14.28. For a modulation factor ε = 0.02 and an average minimum
electrode displacement of 0.0025 m, the distance from the electrode to the axis varies between
0.0019 and 0.0030 m.
The design of RFQ electrodes becomes more complex if the modulation factor is varied to add
bunching capability. The design procedure couples results from particle orbit computer codes into a
computer-controlled mill to generate complex electrodes such as that illustrated in Figure 14.29.
The structure transports an incoming 30-mA, 30-keV proton beam. Electrode modulations increase
gradually along the direction of propagation, adding longitudinal field components. The
synchronous phase rises from 0 to the final value. Note the increasing modulation depth and cell
490
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
491
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
492
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
length along the direction of acceleration.
A cross section of a complete RFQ is illustrated in Figure 14.30. The volume outside the
transport region is composed of four coupled cylindrical section cavities. The desired excitation
modes for the cavities have axial magnetic fields and properties which are uniform along the
longitudinal direction. Field polarities and current flows are illustrated for the quadrupole mode. A
440-MHz cavity has a radius of about 0.2 m. The mode for the quadrupole oscillation in all four
cavities is designated TE210. This terminology implies the following:
1. Electric fields are transverse to the z direction in the rf portion of the cavity.
3. The electric field is maximum on axis and decreases monotonically toward the wall.
Coupling of the four lines through the narrow transport region is not strong; equal distribution of
energy demands separate drives for each of the lines. The usual procedure is to surround the RFQ
with an annular resonator (manifold) driven at a single feed point. The manifold symmetrizes the rf
energy; it is connected to the transmission lines by multiple coupling slots.
Other modes of oscillation are possible in an RFQ cavity. The dipole mode illustrated in Figure
14.30b is particularly undesirable since it results in electrostatic deflections and beam loss. The
dipole mode frequency does not differ greatly from that of the quadrupole. Another practical
problem is setting end conditions on the electrodes to maintain a uniform electric field magnitude
over the length. Problems of mode coupling and field uniformity multiply as the length of the RFQ
increases. This is the main reason why RFQ applications are presently limited to low-energy
acceleration. The RFQ has been studied as a pre-accelerator for heavy ions. In this case, the
frequency is low. Low-frequency RFQs are sometimes fabricated as a nonresonant structure
driven by an oscillator like the Wideröe accelerator.
The extensive applications of synchrotron radiation to atomic and solid-state physics research has
renewed interest in electron accelerators in the GeV range. The microtron is one of the most
promising electron accelerators for research. Its outstanding feature is the ability to generate a
continuous beam of high-energy electrons with average current approaching 100 µA. The time-
average output of a microtron is much higher than a synchrotron or high-electron linac, which
produce pulses of electrons at relatively low repetition rates.
The racetrack microtron [V.Veksler, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. U. S. S. R. 43, 444 (1944)] is
illustrated in Figure 14.31a. Electrons are accelerated in a short linac section. Uniform field sector
493
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
494
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
magnets at each end of the accelerator confine the electrons. Electrons at a variety of energy levels
are contained simultaneously in the machine. Electron orbits in the magnets are half-circles. It is
easily demonstrated that electrons return to the linear accelerator axis after each revolution,
independent of their energy. The size of the orbit increases as the electron energy increases.
The microtron combines linear accelerator technology with circular accelerator particle dynamics.
Beam recirculation allows more efficient utilization of the linac. In contrast to the high-energy
electron linear accelerators of Section 14.1 (where the machine length is a major constraint),
acceleration gradient is not the primary concern in the microtron. This means that the accelerator
need not operate at high field stress; therefore, power dissipation is a factor of 25-100 times lower
than a high-gradient electron linac. This accounts for the capability of CW steady-state operation.
The phase velocity of traveling wave components in the microtron linac is equal to the speed of
light. In contrast to high-energy electron linacs, microtrons have phase stability. The orbit size (and,
hence, the time to return to the linac) depends on electron energy. Therefore, electrons can be
longitudinally confined during acceleration, even at low values of accelerating gradient.
Some parameters of a medium-energy microtron are listed in Table 14.5. The machine is designed
as a pre-accelerator in a three-microtron facility to produce an 840-MeV beam. The 14-MeV
niicrotron with its associated injection and extraction system is illustrated in Figure 14.31b. The
injected beam is generated by a 2-MV Van de Graaff accelerator. A beam chopper in the terminal of
the electrostatic accelerator produces short pulses of electrons phased-matched to the linac. The
complex series of lenses and deflection magnets matches the transverse and longitudinal
distributions of the electron beam to the acceptance of the microtron. The origin of the parameters
in Table 14.5 will be evident after we develop the theory of microtron equilibrium orbits.
In order to describe the microtron analytically, assume that the sector fields have sharp boundaries
and a uniform field magnitude, Bo. Electrons are injected with initial total energy Uo and gain an
energy ∆U in each pass through the linear accelerator. Assume, further, that Uo » mec 2 , so that the
electron velocity is always approximately equal to the speed of light. We have shown that
acceleration in linear accelerators arises from a traveling wave component of the form
Ez E o sin(ωt ωz/c).
where φ is the phase of the particle with respect to the traveling wave. The energy gain for
synchronous electrons passing through the linac is independent of their total energy.
The index n designates the number of times that an electron has passed through the linear
accelerator; the orbits in Figure 14.31 are labeled accordingly. The time for an electron to traverse
the microtron is
∆tn 2L/c 2πrgn/c, (14.108)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
where
rgn γnmec/eBo U n/eBoc.
The condition for synchronous electrons is that they arrive at the entrance to the linac at the same
phase of the rf period. In other words, the traversal time must be an integer multiple of the rf
period. Letting ω be the frequency of rf oscillations in the linac, this condition is written
∆tn 2L/c 2πUn/eB oc 2 m(2π/ω). (14.110)
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
As electrons gain energy, the particle velocity is constant but the orbit size increases. The traversal
time of high-energy particles is longer than that of low-energy particles. The difference in traversal
times between particles on the n and n-1 orbits is
∆tn ∆tn1 2π∆U/eB oc 2. (14.111)
Clearly, for synchronization ∆tn must also equal an integer multiple of the rf period:
2π∆U/eBoc 2 q (2π/ω). (14.112)
As an example, we pick q = 1. This means that electrons take one extra rf period for a traversal with
each energy increment. Following Table 14.5, assume a 20-turn microtron with an injection energy
of 2 MeV. The bending magnetic field is 0.1 T, and the linear accelerator length is 0.8 M. The
energy gain per turn is ∆U = 0.6 MeV, implying an average acceleration gradient of 0.75 MV/m.
Substituting into Eq. (14.112), the matched frequency is ω = 1.5 × x 1010 s-1, or f = 2.4 GHz.
Electrons injected at 2 MeV are boosted to 2.6 MeV in their first passage through the linac. The
initial gyroradius in the bending field is 0.174 m; the total distance around the system on the first
orbit is 2.7 m. Equation 14.111 implies that the time for the first traversal equals 22 rf periods. This
is a high number; the particle must return to the linac entrance with equal phase after an interval of
22(2π/ω) . Synchronization requires excellent bending field uniformity and a constant energy input
beam with little velocity dispersion. The problem becomes more acute as electrons are accelerated.
Electrons on the highest-energy orbit take 42 rf periods to traverse the system. The synchronization
problem limits the practical number of turns in a single niicrotron. A choice of q > 1 worsens the
problem.
The separation between adjacent orbits on the side opposite the linac is
δr 2∆rg ∆U/eB oc.
For the parameters of the example, δr = 0.04 in. The large orbit separation makes extraction of
high-energy electrons relatively easy.
The two main problems of rnicrotrons are beam steering and beam breakup instabilities.
Regarding the first problem, the uniform magnetic field of the microtron has horizontal focusing but
no vertical focusing. Lenses must be added to each beam line on the straight sections opposite the
accelerator. Even with the best efforts to achieve bending field uniformity, it is necessary to add
beam steering magnets with active beam sensing and compensation to meet the synchronization
condition. The beam breakup instability is severe in the microtron because the current of all beams
is concentrated in the high-Q resonant cavities of the linear accelerator. The beam breakup
instability is the main reason why microtron average currents are limited to less than 1 mA. It
has also impeded the development of microtrons with superconducting linear accelerator cavities.
These cavities have extremely high values of Q for all modes.
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Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
498
Radio-frequency Linear Accelerators
The double-sided microtron (DSM) illustrated in Figure 14.32a is an alternative to the racetrack
niicrotron. The DSM has linear accelerators in both straight sections. Beam deflection is performed
by four 45E sector magnets. The major advantage, compared to the racetrack microtron, is that
approximately double the electron energy can be achieved for the same magnet mass. The 45E
sector magnet has the feature that the orbits of electrons of any energy are reflected at exactly 90E
(see Fig. 14.32b).
Unfortunately, the DSM has unfavorable properties for electron focusing. Figure 14.32c shows a
particle trajectory on the main orbit compared to an orbit displaced horizontally off-axis. Note that
there is no focusing; the DSM has neutral stability in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the
sector magnets contribute defocusing forces in the vertical direction. There are edge-focusing
effects because the magnets boundaries are inclined 45E to the particle orbits. Reference to Section
6.9, shows that the inclination gives a negative focal length resulting in defocusing.
499
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
15
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The term circular accelerator refers to any machine in which beams describe a closed orbit. All
circular accelerators have a vertical magnetic field to bend particle trajectories and one or more
gaps coupled to inductively isolated cavities to accelerate particles. Beam orbits are often not true
circles; for instance, large synchrotrons are composed of alternating straight and circular sections.
The main characteristic of resonant circular accelerators is synchronization between oscillating
acceleration fields and the revolution frequency of particles.
Particle recirculation is a major advantage of resonant circular accelerators over rf linacs. In a
circular machine, particles pass through the same acceleration gap many times (102 to greater than
108). High kinetic energy can be achieved with relatively low gap voltage. One criterion to
compare circular and linear accelerators for high-energy applications is the energy gain per length
of the machine; the cost of many accelerator components is linearly proportional to the length of
the beamline. Dividing the energy of a beam from a conventional synchrotron by the
circumference of the machine gives effective gradients exceeding 50 MV/m. The gradient is
considerably higher for accelerators with superconducting magnets. This figure of merit has not
been approached in either conventional or collective linear accelerators.
There are numerous types of resonant circular accelerators, some with specific advantages and
some of mainly historic significance. Before beginning a detailed study, it is useful to review
briefly existing classes of accelerators. In the following outline, a standard terminology is defined
and the significance of each device is emphasized.
500
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Most resonant circular accelerators can be classed as either cyclotrons or synchrotrons. One
exception is the microtron (Section 14.7), which is technologically akin to linear accelerators. The
microtron may be classified as a cyclotron for relativistic electrons, operating well beyond the
transition energy (see Section 15.6). The other exception is the synchrocyclotron (Section 15.4).
A. Cyclotron
A cyclotron has constant magnetic field magnitude and constant rf frequency. Beam energy is
limited by relativistic effects, which destroy synchronization between particle orbits and rf fields.
Therefore, the cyclotron is useful only for ion acceleration. The virtue of cyclotrons is that they
generate a continuous train of beam micropulses. Cyclotrons are characterized by large-area
magnetic fields to confine ions from zero energy to the output energy.
1. Uniform-Field Cyclotron
The uniform-field cyclotron has considerable historic significance. It was the first accelerator to
generate multi-MeV particle beams for nuclear physics research. The vertical field is uniform in
azimuth. The field magnitude is almost constant in the radial direction, with small positive field
index for vertical focusing. Resonant acceleration in the uniform-field cyclotron depends on the
constancy of the non-relativistic gyrofrequency. The energy limit for light ion beams is about
15-20 MeV, determined by relativistic mass increase and the decrease of magnetic field with
radius. There is no synchronous phase in a uniform-field cyclotron.
The AVF cyclotron is a major improvement over the uniform-field cyclotron. Variations are
added to the confining magnetic field by attaching wedge-shaped inserts at periodic azimuthal
positions of the magnet poles. The extra horizontal-field components enhance vertical focusing. It
is possible to tolerate an average negative-field index so that the bending field increases with
radius. With proper choice of focusing elements and field index variation, the magnetic field
variation balances the relativistic mass increase, resulting in a constant-revolution frequency. An
AVF cyclotron with this property is called an isochronous cyclotron. An additional advantage of
AVF cyclotrons is that the stronger vertical focusing allows higher beam intensity. AVF machines
have supplanted the uniform-field cyclotron, even in low-energy applications.
3. Separated-Sector Cyclotron
The separated-sector cyclotron is a special case of the AVF cyclotron. The azimuthal field
variation results from splitting the bending magnet into a number of sectors. The advantages of
the separated sector cyclotron are (1) modular magnet construction and (2) the ability to locate rf
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
feeds and acceleration gaps between the sectors. The design of separated-sector cyclotrons is
complicated by the fact that particles cannot be accelerated from low energy. This feature can be
used to advantage; beams with lower emittance (better coherence) are achieved if an independent
accelerator is used for low-energy acceleration.
4. Spiral Cyclotron
The pole inserts in a spiral cyclotron have spiral boundaries. Spiral shaping is used in both
standard AVF and separated-sector machines. In a spiral cyclotron, ion orbits have an inclination
at the boundaries of high-field regions. Vertical confinement is enhanced by edge focusing
(Section 6.9). The combined effects of edge focusing and defocusing lead to an additional vertical
confinement force.
5. Superconducting Cyclotron
Superconducting cyclotrons have shaped iron magnet poles that utilize the focusing techniques
outlined above. The magnetizing force is supplied by superconducting coils, which consume little
power. Superconducting cyclotrons are typically compact machines because they are operated at
high fields, well above the saturation level of the iron poles. In this situation, all the magnetic
dipoles in the poles are aligned; the net fields can be predicted accurately.
B. Synchrocyclotron
The synchrocyclotron is a precursor of the synchrotron. It represents an early effort to extend the
kinetic energy limits of cyclotrons. Synchrocyclotrons have a constant magnetic field with
geometry similar to the uniform-field cyclotron. The main difference is that the rf frequency is
varied to maintain particle synchronization into the relativistic regime. Synchrocyclotrons are
cyclic machines with a greatly reduced time-averaged output flux compared to a cyclotron.
Kinetic energies for protons to 1 GeV have been achieved. In the sub-GeV energy range,
synchrocyclotrons were supplanted by AVF cyclotrons, which generate a continuous beam.
Synchrocyclotrons have not been extended to higher energy because of technological and
economic difficulties in fabricating the huge, monolithic magnets that characterize the machine.
C. Synchrotron
Synchrotrons are the present standard accelerators for particle physics research. They are cycled
machines. Both the magnitude of the magnetic field and the rf frequency are varied to maintain a
synchronous particle at a constant orbit radius. The constant-radius feature is very important;
bending and focusing fields need extend over only a small ring-shaped volume. This minimizes the
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
cost of the magnets, allowing construction of large-diameter machines for ion energies of up to
800 GeV. Synchrotrons are used to accelerate both ions and electrons, although electron
machines are limited in energy by emission of synchrotron radiation. The main limits on achievable
energy for ions are the cost of the machine and availability of real estate. Cycling times are long in
the largest machines, typically many seconds. Electron synchrotrons and proton boosters cycle at
frequencies in the range of 15 to 60 Hz.
Early synchrotrons used weak focusing. The bending magnets were shaped to produce a field with
index in the range 0 < n < 1. With low focusing force, the combined effects of transverse particle
velocity and synchrotron oscillations (see Section 15.6) resulted in beams with large cross section.
This implies costly, large-bore magnets.
All modern synchrotrons use transverse focusing systems composed of strong lenses in a
focusing-defocusing array. Strong focusing minimizes the beam cross section, reducing the
magnet size. Beam dynamics are more complex in a strong focusing synchrotron. The magnets
must be constructed and aligned with high precision, and care must be taken to avoid resonance
instabilities. Advances in magnet technology and beam theory have made it possible to overcome
these difficulties.
3. Storage Ring
A storage ring usually has the same focusing and bending field configuration as a separated
function synchrotron, but provides no acceleration. The magnetic fields are constant in time. An
rf cavity may be included for longitudinal beam manipulations such as stacking or, in the case of
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
electrons, maintaining kinetic energy in the presence of radiation loss. A storage ring contains
energetic particles at constant energy for long periods of time. The primary applications are for
colliding beam experiments and synchrotron radiation production.
4. Collider
A collider is a synchrotron, storage ring, dual synchrotron, or dual storage ring with special
geometry to allow high-energy charged particles moving in opposite directions to collide head-on
at a number of positions in the machine. The use of colliding beams significantly increases the
amount of energy available to probe the structure of matter for elementary particle physics.
Colliders have been operated (or are planned) for counter-rotating beams of protons (pp collider),
electrons and positrons (e-e+), and protons and antiprotons (p p ).
Section 15.1 introduces the uniform-field cyclotron and the principles of circular resonant
accelerators. The longitudinal dynamics of the uniform-field cyclotron is reviewed in Section 15.2.
The calculations deal with an interesting application of the phase equations when there is no
synchronous particle. The model leads to the choice of optimum acceleration history and to limits
on achievable kinetic energy. Sections 15.3 and 15.4 are concerned with AVF, or isochronous,
cyclotrons. Transverse focusing is treated in the first section. Section 15.4 summarizes
relationships between magnetic field and rf frequency to preserve synchronization in fixed-field,
fixed-frequency machines. There is also a description of the synchrocyclotron.
Sections 15.5-15.7 are devoted to the synchrotron. The first section describes general features
of synchrotrons, including focusing systems, energy limits, synchrotron radiation, and the
kinematics of colliding beams. The longitudinal dynamics of synchrotrons is the subject of Section
15.6. Material includes constraints on magnetic field and rf frequency variation for
synchronization, synchrotron oscillations, and the transition energy. To conclude, Section 15.7
summarizes the principles and benefits of strong focusing. Derivations are given to illustrate the
effects of alignment errors in a strong focusing system. Forbidden numbers of betatron
wavelengths and mode coupling are discussed qualitatively.
The operation of the uniform-field cyclotron [E. 0. Lawrence, Science 72, 376 (1930)] is based on
the fact that the gyrofrequency for non-relativistic ions [Eq. (3.39)] is independent of kinetic
energy. Resonance between the orbital motion and an accelerating electric field can be achieved
for ion kinetic energy that is small compared to the rest energy. The configuration of the
uniform-field cyclotron is illustrated in Figure 15.1a. Ions are constrained to circular orbits by a
504
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
505
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
vertical field between the poles of a magnet. The ions are accelerated in the gap between two
D-shaped metal structures (dees) located within the field region. An ac voltage is applied
to the dees by an rf resonator. The resonator is tuned to oscillate near ωg.
The acceleration history of an ion is indicated in Figure 15.1b. The accelerator illustrated has
only one dee excited by a bipolar waveform to facilitate extraction. A source, located at the center
of the machine continuously generates ions. The low-energy ions are accelerated to the opposite
electrode during the positive-polarity half of the rf cycle. After crossing the gap, the ions are
shielded from electric fields so that they follow a circular orbit. When the ions return to the gap
after a time interval π/ωgo they are again accelerated because the polarity of the dee voltage is
reversed. An aperture located at the entrance to the acceleration gap limits ions to a small range
of phase with respect to the rf field. If the ions were not limited to a small phase range, the output
beam would have an unacceptably large energy spread. In subsequent gap crossings, the ion
kinetic energy and gyroradius increase until the ions are extracted at the periphery of the magnet.
The cyclotron is similar to the Wideröe linear accelerator (Section 14.2); the increase in the
gyroradius with energy is analogous to the increase in drift-tube length for the linear machine.
The rf frequency in cyclotrons is relatively low. The ion gyrofrequency is
where A is the atomic mass number, mi/mp. Generally, frequency is in the range of 10 MHz for
magnetic fields near 1 T. The maximum energy of ions in a cyclotron is limited by relativistic
detuning and radial variations of the magnetic field magnitude. In a uniform-field magnet field, the
kinetic energy and orbit radius of non-relativistic ions are related by
where Tmax is given in MeV, R in meters, and B in tesla. For example, 30-MeV deuterons require a
1-T field with good uniformity over a 1.25-m radius.
Transverse focusing in the uniform-field cyclotron is performed by an azimuthally symmetric
vertical field with a radial gradient (Section 7.3). The main differences from the betatron are that
the field index is small compared to unity ( νr 1 and νz « 1 ) and that particle orbits extend
over a wide range of radii. Figure 15.2 diagrams magnetic field in a typical uniform-field cyclotron
magnet and indicates the radial variation of field magnitude and field index, n. The field index is
not constant with radius. Symmetry requires that the field index be zero at the center of the
magnet. It increases rapidly with radius at the edge of the pole. Cyclotron magnets are designed
for small n over most of the field area to minimize desynchronization of particle orbits. Therefore,
vertical focusing in a uniform-field cyclotron is weak.
There is no vertical magnetic focusing at the center of the magnet. By a fortunate coincidence,
506
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
507
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
electrostatic focusing by the accelerating fields is effective for low-energy ions. The electric field
pattern between the dees of a cyclotron act as the one-dimensional equivalent of the electrostatic
immersion lens discussed in Section 6.6. The main difference from the electrostatic lens is that ion
transit-time effects can enhance or reduce focusing. For example, consider the portion of the
accelerating half-cycle when the electric field is rising. Ions are focused at the entrance side of the
gap and defocused at the exit. When the transit time is comparable to the rf half-period, the
transverse electric field is stronger when the ions are near the exit, thereby reducing the net
focusing. The converse holds in the part of the accelerating half-cycle with falling field.
In order to extract ions from the machine at a specific location, deflection fields must be
applied. Deflection fields should affect only the maximum energy ions. Ordinarily, static electric
(magnetic) fields in vacuum extend a distance comparable to the spacing between electrodes
(poles) by the properties of the Laplace equation (Section 4.1). Shielding of other ions is
accomplished with a septum (separator), an electrode or pole that carries image charge or current
to localize deflection fields. An electrostatic septum is illustrated in Figure 15.3. A strong radial
electric field deflects maximum energy ions to a radius where n > 1. Ions spiral out of the machine
508
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
along a well-defined trajectory. Clearly, a septum should not intercept a substantial fraction of the
beam. Septa are useful in the cyclotron because there is a relatively large separation between
orbits. The separation for non-relativistic ions is
∆R (R/2) (2qVo sinφs/T). (15.3)
For example, with a peak dee voltage Vo = 100 kV, φs = 60E, R = 1 m, and T = 20 MeV, Eq.
(15.3) implies that ∆R = 0.44 cm.
In the uniform-field cyclotron, the oscillation frequency of gap voltage remains constant while the
ion gyrofrequency continually decreases. The reduction in ωg with energy arises from two causes:
(1) the relativistic increase in ion mass and (2) the reduction of magnetic field magnitude at large
radius. Models of longitudinal particle motion in a uniform-field cyclotron are similar to those
for a traveling wave linear electron accelerator (Section 13.6); there is no synchronous phase. In
this section, we shall develop equations to describe the phase history of ions in a uniform-field
cyclotron. As in the electron linac, the behavior of a pulse of ions is found by following individual
orbits rather than performing an orbit expansion about a synchronous particle. The model predicts
the maximum attainable energy and energy spread as a function of the phase width of the ion
pulse. The latter quantity is determined by the geometry of the aperture illustrated in Figure 15.1.
The model indicates strategies to maximize beam energy.
The geometry of the calculation is illustrated in Figure 15.4. Assume that the voltage of dee1
relative to dee2 is given by
V(t) Vo sinωt, (15.4)
1. Effects of the gap width are neglected. This is true when the gap width divided by the
ion velocity is small compared to 1/ω.
2. The magnetic field is radially uniform. The model is easily extended to include the
effects of field variations.
3. The ions circulate many times during the acceleraton cycle, so that it is sufficient to
approximate kinetic energy as a continuous variable and to identify the centroid of the
particle orbits with the symmetry axis of the machine.
509
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Equation (15.5) is consistent with our previous definition of phase (Chapter 13). Particles
crossing the gap from deel to dee2 at t = 0 have φ = 0 and experience zero accelerating voltage.
The derivative of Eq. (15.5) is
dφ/dt ω dθ/dt ω ωg, (15.6)
where
ωg qBo/γm i qc 2Bo/E. (15.7)
The quantity E in Eq. (15.7) is the total relativistic ion energy, E T mic 2 . In the limit that
T « mic 2 , the gyrofrequency is almost constant and Eq. (15.6) implies that particles have
constant phase during acceleration. Relativistic effects reduce the second term in Eq. (15.6). If the
rf frequency equals the non-relativistic gyrofrequency ω ωgo , then d φ/dt is always positive.
The limit of acceleration occurs when φ reaches 180E. In this circumstance, ions arrive at the gap
when the accelerating voltage is zero; ions are trapped at a particular energy and circulate in the
cyclotron at constant radius.
510
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Equation (15.4), combined with the assumption of small gap width, implies that particles
making their mth transit of the gap with phase φm gain an energy.
∆Em qVo sinφm. (15.8)
In order to develop an analytic phase equation, it is assumed that energy increases continually and
that phase is a continuous function of energy, φ(E). The change of phase for a particle during the
transit through a dee is
∆φ (dφ/dt) (π/ωg) π [(ωE/c 2qB o) 1]. (15.9)
Dividing Eq. (15.9) by Eq. (15.8) gives an approximate equation for φ(E):
∆φ/∆E dφ/dE (π/qVo sinφ) [(ωE/c 2qBo) 1]. (15.10)
Integration of Eq. (15.11) gives an equation for phase as a function of particle energy:
cosφ cosφo (π/qVo) [(ω/2c 2qB o) (E 2 Eo) (E Eo)], (15.12)
where φo is the injection phase. The cyclotron phase equation is usually expressed in terms of the
kinetic energy T. Taking T E moc and ωgo qBo/mi , Eq. (15.12) becomes
2
During acceleration, ion phase may traverse the range 0E < φ < 180E . The content of Eq.
(15.13) can be visualized with the help of Figure 15.5. The quantity cosφ is plotted versus T with
φo as a parameter. The curves are parabolas. In Figure 15.5a, the magnetic field is adjusted so that
ω ωo . The maximum kinetic energy is defined by the intersection of the curve with cosφ = - 1.
The best strategy is to inject the particles in a narrow range near φo = 0. Clearly, higher kinetic
energy can be obtained if ω < ωo (Fig. 15.5b). The particle is injected with φo > 0. It initially
gains on the rf field phase and then lags. A particle phase history is valid only if cosφ remains
between -1 and +1. In Figure 15.5b, the orbit with φo = 45E is not consistent with acceleration to
high energy. The curve for φo = 90E leads to a higher final energy than φo = 135E.
511
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The curves of Figure 15.5 depend on Vo, mi, and ω/ωgo . The maximum achievable energy
corresponds to the curve illustrated in Figure 15.5c. The particle is injected at φo = 180E. The rf
frequency is set lower than the non-relativistic ion gyrofrequency. The two frequencies are equal
when φ approaches 0E. The curve of Figure 15.5c represents the maximum possible phase
excursion of ions during acceleration and therefore the longest possible time of acceleration.
Defining Tmax as the maximum kinetic energy, Figure 15.5c implies, the constraints
cosφ 1 for T Tmax (15.14)
and
cosφ 1 for T ½Tmax. (15.15)
The last condition proceeds from the symmetric shape of the parabolic curve. Substitution of Eqs.
(15.14) and (15.15) in Eq. (15.13) gives two equations in two unknowns for Tmax and ω/ωgo . The
512
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
solution is
ω/ωgo 1/(1 Tmax/2m ic 2) (15.16)
and
Inspection of Eqs. (15.6) and (15.7) shows that synchronization in a cyclotron can be preserved
only if the average bending magnetic field increases with radius. A positive field gradient
corresponds to a negative field index in a magnetic field with azimuthal symmetry, leading to
vertical defocusing. A positive field index can be tolerated if there is an extra source of vertical
focusing. One way to provide additional focusing is to introduce azimuthal variations in the
bending field. In this section, we shall study particle orbits in azimuthally varying fields. The intent
is to achieve a physical understanding of AVF focusing through simple models. The actual design
of accelerators with AVF focusing [K.R. Symon, et. al., Phys. Rev. 103, 1837 (1956); F.T. Cole,
et .al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 28, 403 (1957)] is carried out using complex analytic calculations and,
inevitably, numerical solution of particle orbits. The results of this section will be applied to
isochronous cyclotrons in Section 15.4. In principle, azimuthally varying fields could be used for
focusing in accelerators with constant particle orbit radius, such as synchrotrons or betatrons.
These configurations are usually referred to as FFAG (fixed-field, alternating-gradient)
accelerators. In practice, the cost of magnets in FFAG machines is considerably higher than more
conventional approaches, so AVF focusing is presently limited to cyclotrons.
513
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Figure 15.6a illustrates an AVF cyclotron field generated by circular magnet poles with
wedge-shaped extensions attached. We begin by considering extensions with boundaries that lie
along diameters of the poles; more general extension shapes, such as sections with spiral
boundaries, are discussed below. Focusing by fields produced by wedge-shaped extensions is
usually referred to as Thomas focusing [L.H. Thomas, Phys. Rev. 54, 580 (1938)]. The raised
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
regions are called hills, and the recessed regions are called valleys. The magnitude of the vertical
magnetic field is approximately inversely proportional to gap width; therefore, the field is stronger
in hill regions. An element of field periodicity along a particle orbit is called a sector; a sector
contains one hill and one valley. The number of sectors equals the number of pole extensions and
is denoted N. Figure 15.6a shows a magnetic field with N = 3. The variation of magnetic with
azimuth along a circle of radius R is plotted in Figure 15.6b. The definition of sector (as applied to
the AVF cyclotron) should be noted carefully to avoid confusion with the term sector magnet.
The terminology associated with AVF focusing systems is illustrated in Figure 15.6b. The
azimuthal variation of magnetic field is called flutter. Flutter is represented as a function of
position by
Bz(R,θ) Bo(R) Φ(R,θ), (15.18)
where Φ(R,θ) is the modulation function which parametrizes the relative changes of magnetic
field with azimuth. The modulation function is usually resolved as
Φ(R,θ) 1 f(R) g(θ), (15.19)
where g(θ) is a function with maximum amplitude equal to 1 and an average value equal to zero.
The modulation function has a θ-averaged value of 1. The function f(R) in Eq. (15.19) is the
flutter amplitude.
The modulation function illustrated in Figure 15.6b is a step function. Other types of variation
are possible. The magnetic field corresponding to a sinusoidal variation of gap width is
approximately
Bz(R,θ) Bo(R) [1 f(R) sinNθ], (15.20)
so that
Φ(θ) 1 f(R) sinNθ. (15.21)
The flutter function F(R) is defined as the mean-squared relative azimuthal fluctuation of
magnetic field along a circle of radius R:
2π
F(R) [(Bz(R,θ) Bo(R))/Bo(R)] (1/2π)
2
[Φ(R,θ) 1]2 dθ. (15.22)
m
0
For example, F(R) = f(R)2 for a step-function variation and F(R) ½ f(R)2 for the sinusoidal
variation of Eq. (15.21).
Particle orbits in azimuthally varying magnetic bending fields are generally complex. In order to
develop an analytic orbit theory, simplifying assumptions will be adopted. We limit consideration
515
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
to a field with sharp transitions of magnitude between hills and valleys (Fig. 15.6b). The hills and
valleys occupy equal angles. The step-function assumption is not too restrictive; similar particle
orbits result from continuous variations of gap width. Two limiting cases will be considered to
illustrate the main features of AVF focusing: (1) small magnetic field variations (f « 1) and (2)
large field variations with zero magnetic field in the valleys. In the latter case, the bending field is
produced by a number of separated sector magnets. Methods developed in Chapters 6 and 8 for
periodic focusing can be applied to derive particle orbits.
To begin, take f « 1. As usual, the strategy is to find the equilibrium orbit and then to investigate
focusing forces in the radial and vertical directions. The magnetic field magnitude is assumed
independent of radius; effects of average field gradient will be introduced in Section 15.4. In the
absence of flutter, the equilibrium orbit is a circle of radius R γmic/qBo . With flutter, the
equilibrium orbit is changed from the circular orbit to the orbit of Figure 15.7a. In the sharp field
boundary approximation, the modified orbit is composed of circular sections. In the hill regions,
the radius of curvature is reduced, while the radius of curvature is increased in the valley regions.
The main result is that the equilibrium orbit is not normal to the field boundaries at the hill-valley
transitions.
There is strong radial focusing in a bending field with zero average field index; therefore, flutter
has little relative effect on radial focusing in the limit f « 1. Focusing in a cyclotron is conveniently
characterized by the dimensionless parameter ν (see Section 7.2), the number of betatron
wavelengths during a particle revolution. Following the discussion of Section 7.3, we find that
516
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
νr 1
2
(15.23)
where β is the angle of inclination of the orbit to the boundary. The ray transfer matrix
corresponding to transit across a boundary is
1 0
Ab (15.25)
2f tanβ/R 1
The inclination angle can be evaluated from the geometric construction of Figure 15.7b. The
equilibrium orbit crosses the boundary at about r = R. The orbit radii of curvature in the hill and
valley regions are R(1 ± f). To first order, the inclination angle is
|β| πf/2N, (15.26)
where N is the number of sectors. The ray transfer matrix for a boundary is expressed as
1 0
Ab (15.26)
πf 2/NR 1
for small β. Neglecting variations in the orbit length through hills and valleys caused by the flutter,
the transfer matrix for drift is
1 πR/N
Ad (15.26)
0 1
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
A focusing cell, the smallest element of periodicity, consists of half a sector (a drift region and one
boundary transition). The total ray transfer matrix is
1 πR/N
A (15.29)
πf 2/NR 1½(πf/N)2
or
µ πf/N. (15.31)
The net phase advance during one revolution is equal to 2Nµ. The number of betatron oscillations
per revolution is therefore
νz 2Nµ/2π f. (15.32)
The final form is derived by substituting from Eq. (15.31). The vertical number of betatron
wavelengths can also be expressed in terms of a flutter function as
νz F.
2
(15.33)
Equation (15.33) is-not specific to a step-function field. It applies generally for all modulation
functions.
Stronger vertical focusing results if the hill-valley boundaries are modified from the simple
diametric lines of Figure 15.6. Consider, for instance, spiral-shaped pole extensions, as shown in
Figure 15.8. At a radius R, the boundaries between hills and valleys are inclined at an angle ζ(R)
with respect to a diameter. Spiral-shaped pole extensions lead to an additional inclination of
magnitude ζ(R) between the equilibrium particle orbit and the boundary. The edge fields from the
spiral inclination act to alternately focus and defocus particles, depending on whether the particle
is entering or leaving a hill region. For example, the spiral of Figure 15.8 is defocusing at a
hill-to-valley transition. A focusing-defocusing lens array provides net focusing.
The effect of boundary inclination can easily be derived in the limit that f « 1 and combined with
Thomas focusing for a total νz. A focusing cell extends over a sector; a cell consists of a drift
region of length πR/N , a thin lens of focal length 2f tanζ/R , a second drift region, and a lens
with focal length 2f tanζ/R . The total ray transfer matrix for a sector is
518
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Following the method used above, the number of vertical betatron oscillations per revolution is
expressed simply as
νz f 2 (1 2tanζ) F (1 2tanζ).
2
(15.36)
Vertical focusing forces can be varied with radius through the choice of the spiral shape. The
Archimedean spiral is often used; the boundaries of the pole extensions are defined by
519
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
r A [θ 2πJ/2N], (15.37)
Archimedean spiral pole extensions lead to vertical focusing forces that increase with radius.
An analytical treatment of AVF focusing is also possible for a step-function field with f = 1. In
this case (corresponding to the separated sector cyclotron), the bending field consists of regions
of uniform magnetic field separated by field-free regions. Focusing forces arise from the shape of
the sector magnet boundaries. As an introduction, consider vertical and radial focusing in a
single-sector magnet with inclined boundaries (Fig. 15.9a). The equilibrium orbit in the magnetic
field region is a circular section of radius R centered vertically in the gap. The circular section
520
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
subtends an angle α. Assume that the boundary inclinations, β, are equal at the entrance and exit
of the magnet.
In the vertical direction, the ray transfer matrix for the magnet is the product of matrices
representing edge focusing at the entrance, a drift distance αR, and focusing at the exit. We can
apply Eqs. (15.27) and (15.28) to calculate the total ray transfer matrix. In order to calculate
focusing in the radial direction, we must include the effect of the missing sector field introduced
by the inclination angle P. For the geometry of Figure 15.9a, the inclination reduces radial
focusing in the sector magnet. Orbits with and without a boundary inclination are plotted in
Figure 15.9b. Figure 15.9c shows the equilibrium particle orbit and an off-axis parallel orbit in a
sector magnet with β ½α . The boundary is parallel to a line through the midplane of the
magnet; the gyrocenters of both orbits also lie on this line. Therefore, the orbits are parallel
throughout the sector and there is no focusing. A value of inclination β < ½α moves the
gyrocenter of the off-axis particle to the left; the particle emerges from the sector focused toward
the axis. The limit on for radial focusing in a uniform-field sector magnet is
β ½α (15.39)
We now turn our attention to the AVF sector field with diametric boundaries shown in Figure
15.10. The equilibrium orbits can be constructed with compass and straightedge. The orbits are
circles in the sector magnets and straight lines in between. They must match in position and angle
at the boundaries. Figures 15.10a, b show solutions with N = 2 and N = 3 for hills and valleys
occupying equal azimuths ( α π/N ). Note that in all cases the inclination angle of the orbit at a
boundary is one-half the angular extent of the sector, β ½α . Figures 15.10c and d illustrate the
geometric construction of off-axis horizontal orbits for conditions corresponding to stability
( α > π/N,β < ½α ) and instability ( α < π/N,β > ½α ). The case of N = 2 is unstable for all
choices of α. This arises because particles are overfocused when α > π/N . This effect is clearly
visible in Figure 15.10e. It is generally true that particle orbits are unstable in any type of AVF
field with N = 2.
Spiral boundaries may also be utilized in separated sector fields. Depending on whether the
particles are entering or leaving a sector, the edge-focusing effects are either focusing or
defocusing in the vertical direction. Applying matrix algebra and the results of Section 6.9, it is
easy to show that νz is
νz (1 2 tanζ)
2
(15.40)
for α π/N . Spiral boundaries contribute alternate focusing and defocusing forces in the radial
direction that are 180E out of phase with the axial forces. For α π/N , the number of radial
betatron oscillations per revolution is approximately
νr 2 tanζ.
2
(15.41)
521
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
522
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Following the success of the uniform-field cyclotron, efforts were made to reach higher beam
kinetic energy. Two descendants of the cyclotron are the synchrocyclotron and the AVF
(isochronous) cyclotron. The machines resolve the problem of detuning between particle
revolutions and rf field in quite different ways. Synchrocyclotrons have the same geometry as the
SF cyclotron. A large magnet with circular poles produces an azimuthally symmetric vertical field
with positive field index. Ions are accelerated from rest to high energy by an oscillating voltage
applied between dees. The main difference is that the frequency is varied to preserve synchronism.
There are a number of differences in the operation of synchrocyclotrons and cyclotrons.
Synchrocyclotrons are cycled, rather than continuous; therefore, the time-average beam current is
much lower. The longitudinal dynamics of particles in a synchrocyclotron do not follow the model
of Section 15.2 because there is a synchronous phase. The models for phase dynamics developed
in Chapter 13 can be adapted to the synchrocyclotron. The machine can contain a number of
confined particle bunches with phase parameters centered about the bunch that has ideal matching
to the rf frequency. The beam bunches are distributed as a group of closely spaced turns of
slightly different energy. The acceptance of the rf buckets decreases moving away from the ideal
match, defining a range of time over which particles can be injected into the machine. In research
applications, the number of bunches contained in the machine in a cycle is constrained by the
allowed energy spread of the output beam.
There are technological limits on the rate at which the frequency of oscillators cpn be swept.
These limits were particularly severe in early synchrocyclotrons that used movable mechanical
tuners rather than the ferrite tuners common on modern synchrotrons. The result is that the
acceleration cycle of a synchrocyclotron extends over a longer period than the acceleration time
for an ion in a cyclotron. Typically, ions perform between 10,000 and 50,000 revolutions during
acceleration in a synchrocyclotron. The high recirculation factor implies lower voltage between
the dees. The cycled operation of the synchrocyclotron leads to different methods of beam
extraction compared to cyclotrons. The low dee voltage implies that orbits have small separation
(< 1 mm), ruling out the use of a septum. On the other hand, all turns can be extracted at the same
time by a pulsed field because they are closely spaced in radius. Figure 15.11 illustrates one
method of beam extraction from a synchrocyclotron. A pulsed electric field is used to deflect ions
on to a perturbed orbit which leads them to a magnetic shield. The risetime of voltage on the
kicker electrodes should be short compared to the revolution time of ions. Pulsed extraction is
characteristic of cycled machines like the synchrocyclotron and synchrotron. In large synchrotrons
with relatively long revolution time, pulsed magnets with ferrite cores are used for beam
deflection.
Containment of high-energy ions requires large magnets. For example, a 600-MeV proton has a
gyroradius of 2.4 m in a 1.5-T field. This implies a pole diameter greater than 15 ft.
Synchro-cyclotron magnets are among the largest monolithic, iron core magnets ever built. The
limitation of this approach is evident; the volume of iron required rises roughly as the cube of the
kinetic energy. Two synchrocyclotrons are still in operation: the 184-in. machine at Lawrence
Berkeley Laboratory and the CERN SC.
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The AVF cyclotron has fixed magnetic field and rf frequency; it generates a continuous-beam
pulse train. Compensation for relativistic mass increase is accomplished by a magnetic field that
increases with radius. The vertical defocusing of the negative field index is overcome by the
focusing methods described in Section 15.3.
We begin by calculating the radial field variations of the θ-averaged vertical field necessary for
synchronization. The quantity B(R) is the averaged field around a circle of radius R and Bo is the
field at the center of the machine. Assume that flutter is small, so that particle orbits approximate
circles of radius R, and let B(R) represent the average bending field at R. Near the origin (R = 0),
the AVF cyclotron has the same characteristics as a uniform field cyclotron; therefore, the rf
frequency is
ω qB o/mi, (14.42)
where mi is the rest energy of the ion. Synchronization with the fixed frequency at all radii implies
that
B(R) γ(R)m iω/q, (15.43)
or
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The average magnetic field is also related to the average orbit radius and ion energy through Eq.
(3.38):
γ(R) βm ic mic m ic γ21
R γ21 . (15.45)
qB(R) qB(R) qB o γ
Equation (15.46) gives the following radial variation of the field index:
n(R) [R/B(R)] [dB(R)/dR] (γ21). (15.47)
Two methods for generating a bending field with negative field index (positive radial gradient) are
illustrated in Figure 15.12. In the first, the distance between poles decreases as a function of
525
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
radius. This method is useful mainly in small, low-energy cyclotrons. It has the following
drawbacks for large research machines:
A better method to generate average radial field gradient is the use of trimming coils, illustrated in
Figure 15.12b. Trimming coils (or k coils) are a set of adjustable concentric coils located on the
pole pieces inside the magnet gap. They are used to shift the distribution of vertical field. With
adjustable trimming coils, an AVF cyclotron can accelerate a wide range of ion species.
In the limit of small flutter amplitude (f « 1), the radial and vertical betatron oscillations per
revolution in an AVF cyclotron are given approximately by
νr 1 n F(R)n 2/N 2 ...,
2
(15.48)
Equations (15.48) and (15.49) are derived through a linear analysis of orbits in an AVF field in the
small flutter limit. The terms on the right-hand side represent contributions from various types of
focusing forces. In Eq. (15.48), the terms have the following interpretations:
Term 3: Alternating-gradient focusing arising from the change in the actual field index
between hills and valleys. Usually, this is a small effect.
A term involving the spiral angle ζ is absent from the radial equation. This comes about because
of cancellation between the spiral term and a term arising from differences of the centrifugal force
on particles between hills and valleys.
The terms on the right-hand side of Eq. (15.49) for vertical motion represent the following
contributions:
526
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Term 3: FD focusing by the edge fields of a spiral boundary.
Symmetry considerations dictate that the field index and spiral angle near the center of an AVF
cyclotron approach zero. The flutter amplitude also approaches zero at the center because the
effects of hills and valleys on the field cancel out at radii comparable to or less than the gap width
between poles. As in the conventional cyclotron, electrostatic focusing at the acceleraton gaps
plays an important role for vertical focusing of low-energy ions. At large radius, there is little
problem in ensuring good radial focusing. Neglecting the third term, Eq. (15.48) may be rewritten
as
νr γ (15.50)
using Eq. (15.47). The quantity νr is always greater than unity; radial focusing is strong.
Regarding vertical focusing, the combination of Thomas focusing and spiral focusing in Eq.
(15.49) must increase with radius to compensate for the increase in field index. This can be
accomplished by a radial increase of F(R) or ζ(R). In the latter case, boundary curves with
increasing ζ (such as the Archimedean spiral) can be used. Isochronous cyclotrons have the
property that the revolution time is independent of the energy history of the ions. Therefore, there
are no phase oscillations, and ions have neutral stability with respect to the rf phase. The magnet
poles of high-energy isochronous cyclotrons must be designed with high accuracy so that particle
synchronization is maintained through the acceleration process.
In addition to high-energy applications, AVF cyclotrons are well suited to low-energy medical
and industrial applications. The increased vertical focusing compared to a simple gradient field
means that the accelerator has greater transverse acceptance. Higher beam currents can be
contained, and the machine is more tolerant to field errors (see Section 15.7). Phase stability is
helpful, even in low-energy machines. The existence of a synchronous phase implies higher
longitudinal acceptance and lower beam energy spread. The AVF cyclotron is much less
expensive per ion produced than a uniform-field cyclotron.
In the range of kinetic energy above 100 MeV, the separated sector cyclotron is a better choice
than the single-magnet AVF cyclotron. The separated sector cyclotron consists of three or more
bending magnets separated by field-free regions. It has the following advantages:
1. Radio-frequency cavities for beam acceleration can be located between the sectors
rather than between the magnet poles. This allows greater latitude in designing the
focusing magnetic field and the acceleration system. Multiple acceleration gaps can be
accommodated, leading to rapid acceleration and large orbit separation.
2. The bending field is produced by a number of modular magnets rather than a single
larger unit. Modular construction reduces the problems of fabrication and mechanical
stress. This is particularly important at high energy.
527
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
528
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The main drawback of the separated sector cyclotron is that it cannot accelerate ions from zero
energy. The beam transport region is annular because structures for mechanical support of the
individual magnet poles must be located on axis. Ions are pre-accelerated for injection into a
separated sector cyclotron. Pre-acceleration can be accomplished with a low-energy AVF
cyclotron or a linac. The injector must be synchronized so that micropulses are injected into the
high-energy machine at the proper phase.
Figure 15.13a shows the separated sector cyclotron at the Swiss Nuclear Institute. Parameters
of the machine are summarized in Table 15.1. The machine was designed for a high average flux
of light ions to generate mesons for applications to radiation therapy and nuclear research. The
accelerator has eight spiral sector magnets with a maximum hill field of 2.1 T. Large waveguides
529
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
530
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
connect rf supplies to a four acceleration gaps. In operation, the machine requires 0.5 MW of rf
input power. The peak acceleration gap voltage is 500 kV. The maximum orbit diameter of the
cyclotron is 9 in for a maximum output energy of 590 MeV (protons). The time-averaged beam
current is 200 µA. A standard AVF cyclotron with four spiral-shaped sectors is used as an
injector. An increase of average beam current to 1 mA is expected with the addition of a new
injector. The injector is a spiral cyclotron with four sectors. The injector operates at 50.7 MHz
and generates 72-MeV protons. Figure 15.13b is an overhead view of the magnets and rf cavities
in the separated sector cyclotron. Six selected orbits are illustrated at equal energy intervals from
72 to 590 MeV. Note that the distance an ion travels through the sector field increases with orbit
radius (negative effective field index). The diagram also indicates the radial increase of the
inclination angle between sector field boundaries and the particle orbits.
Synchrotrons are resonant circular particle accelerators in which both the magnitude of the
bending magnetic field and the rf frequency are cycled. An additional feature of most modem
synchrotrons is that focusing forces are adjustable independent of the bending field. Independent
variation of the focusing forces, beam-bending field, and rf frequency gives synchrotrons two
capabilities that lead to beam energies far higher than those from other types of circular
accelerators:
1. The betatron wavelength of particles can be maintained constant as acceleration proceeds. This
makes it possible to avoid the orbital resonances that limit the output energy of the AVF
cyclotron.
2. The magnetic field amplitude is varied to preserve a constant particle orbit radius during
acceleration. Therefore, the bending field need extend over only a small annulus rather than fill a
complete circle. This implies large savings in the cost of the accelerator magnets. Furthermore,
the magnets can be fabricated as modules and assembled into ring accelerators exceeding 6 km
in circumference.
The main problems of the synchrotron are (1) a complex operation cycle and (2) low average flux.
The components of a modem separated function synchrotron are illustrated in Figure 15.14. An
ultra-high-vacuum chamber for beam transport forms a closed loop. Circular sections may be
interrupted by straight sections to facilitate beam injection, beam extraction, and experiments.
Acceleration takes place in a cavity filled with ferrite cores to provide inductive iso a over a
broad frequency range. The cavity is similar to a linear induction accelerator cavity. The two
differences are (1) an ac voltage is applied across the gap and (2) the ferrites are not driven to
saturation to minimize power loss.
531
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Beam bending and focusing are accomplished with magnetic fields. The separated function
synchrotron usually has three types of magnets, classified according to the number of poles used
to generate the field. Dipole magnets (Fig. 15.15a) bend the beam in a closed orbit. Quadrupole
magnets (Fig. 15.15b) (grouped as quadrupole lens sets) focus the beam. Sextupole magnets (Fig.
15.15c) are usually included to increase the tolerance of the focusing system to beam energy
spread. The global arrangement of magnets around the synchrotron is referred to as a focusing
lattice. The lattice is carefully designed to maintain a stationary beam envelope. In order to avoid
532
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
resonance instabilities, the lattice design must not allow betatron wavelengths to equal a
characteristic dimension of the machine (such as the circumference). Resonance conditions are
parametrized in terms of forbidden values of νr and νz.
A focusing cell is strictly defined as the smallest element of periodicity in a focusing system.
A period of a noncircular synchrotron contains a large number of optical elements. A cell may
encompass a curved section, a straight section, focusing and bending magnets, and transition
elements between the sections. The term superperiod is usually used to designate the minimum
periodic division of a synchrotron, while focusing cell is applied to a local element of periodicity
within a superperiod. The most common local cell configuration is the FODO cell. It consists of a
focusing quadrupole (relative to the r or z direction), a dipole magnet, a defocusing quadrupole,
and another dipole. Horizontal focusing forces in the bending magnets are small compared to that
in the quadrupoles. For transverse focusing, the cell is represented as a series of focusing and
defocusing lenses separated. by drift (open) spaces.
The alternating-gradient synchrotron (AGS) is the precursor of the separated function
synchrotron. The AGS has a ring of magnets which combine the functions of beam bending and
focusing. Cross sections of AGS magnets are illustrated in Figure 15.16. A strong positive or
533
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
negative radial gradient is superimposed on the bending field; horizontal and vertical focusing
arises from the transverse fields associated with the gradient (Section 7.3). The magnet of
Figure 15.16a gives strong radial focusing and horizontal defocusing, while the opposite holds for
the magnet of Figure 15.16b.
Early synchrotrons utilized simple gradient focusing in an azimuthally symmetric field. They
were constructed from a number of adjacent bending magnets with uniform field index in the
range 0 < n < 1. These machines are now referred to as weak focusing synchrotrons because the
betatron wavelength of particles was larger than the machine circumference. The zero-gradient
synchrotron (ZGS) (Fig. 15.16c) was an interesting variant of the weak focusing machine.
Bending and focusing were performed by sector magnets with uniform-field magnitude (zero
gradient). The sector field boundaries were inclined with respect to the orbits to give vertical
focusing [via edge focusing (Section 6.9)] and horizontal focusing [via sector focusing (Section
6.8)]. The advantage of the ZGS compared to other weak focusing machines was that higher
bending fields could be achieved without local saturation of the poles.
534
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
The limit on kinetic energy in an ion synchrotron is set by the bending magnetic field magnitude
and the area available for the machine. The ring radius of relativistic protons is given by
R 3.3E/B (m), (15.51)
where B is the average magnetic field (in tesla) and E is the total ion energy in GeV. Most ion
synchrotrons accelerate protons; protons have the highest charge-to-mass ratio and reach the
highest kinetic energy per nucleon for a given magnetic field. Synchrotrons have been used for
heavy-ion acceleration. In this application, ions are pre-accelerated in a linear accelerator and
directed through a thin foil to strip electrons. Only ions with high charge states are selected for
injection into the synchrotron.
The maximum energy in an electron synchrotron is set by emission of synchrotron radiation.
Synchrotron radiation results from the continuous transverse acceleration of particles in a circular
orbit. The total power emitted per particle is
P 2cE 4ro/3R 2(moc 2)3 (watts), (15.52)
where E is the total particle energy and R is the radius of the circle. Power in Eq. (15.52) is given
in electron volts per second if all energies on the right-hand side are expressed in electron volts.
The quantity ro is the classical radius of the particle,
ro q 2/4πεomoc 2. (15.53)
Inspection of Eqs. (15.52) and (15.53) shows that synchrotron radiation has a negligible effect
in ion accelerators. Compared to electrons, the power loss is reduced by a factor of (me/mi)4 . To
illustrate the significance of synchrotron radiation in electron accelerators, consider a synchrotron
in which electrons gain an energy eVo per turn. The power input to electrons (in eV/s) is
P cVo/2πR. (15.55)
Setting Eqs. (15.52) and (15.55) equal, the maximum allowed total energy is
E # [3Vo(m oc 2)3R/4πro]0.25. (15.56)
535
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
For example, with R = 20 m and Vo = 100 kV, the maximum energy is E = 2.2 GeV. Higher
energies result from a larger ring radius and higher power input to the accelerating cavities, but
the scaling is weak. The peak energy achieved in electron synchrotrons is about 12 GeV for R =
130 m. Linear accelerators are the only viable choice to reach higher electron energy for particle
physics research. Nonetheless, electron synchrotrons are actively employed in other areas of
applied physics research. They are a unique source of intense radiation over a wide spectral range
via synchrotron radiation. New synchrotron radiation facilities are planned as research tools in
atomic and solid-state physics.
Synchrotron radiation has some advantageous effects on electron beam dynamics in
synchrotrons. The quality of the beam (or the degree to which particle orbit parameters are
identical) is actually enhanced by radiation. Consider, for instance, the spread in longitudinal
energy in a beam bunch. Synchrotron radiation is emitted over a narrow cone of angle
∆θ (m ec 2/E) (15.57)
in the forward direction relative to the instantaneous electron motion. Therefore, the emission of
photons slows electrons along their main direction of motion while making a small contribution to
transverse motion. According to Eq. (15.52), higher-energy electrons lose more energy; therefore,
the energy spread of an electron bunch decreases. This is the simplest example of beam cooling.
The process results in a reduction of the random spread of particle orbits about a mean; hence, the
term cooling.
The highest-energy accelerator currently in operation is located at the Fermi National
Accelerator Laboratory. The 2-km-diameter proton synchrotron consists of two accelerating
rings, built in two stages. In the main ring (completed in 1971), beam focusing and bending are
performed by conventional magnets. Beam energies up to 450 GeV have been achieved in this
ring. After seven years of operation, an additional ring was added in the tunnel beneath the
main ring. This ring, known as the energy doubler, utilizes superconducting magnets. The higher
magnetic field makes it possible to generate beams with 800 GeV kinetic energy. The total
experimental facility, with beam transport elements and experimental areas designed to
accommodate the high-energy beams, is known as the Tevatron. A scale drawing of the
accelerator and experimental areas is shown in Figure 15.17a. Protons, extracted from a
750-kV electrostatic accelerator, are accelerated in a 200-MeV linear accelerator. The beam is
then injected into a rapid cycling booster synchrotron which increases the energy to 8 GeV. The
booster synchrotron cycles in 33 ms. The outputs from 12 cycles of the booster synchrotron are
used to fill the main ring during a constant-field initial phase of the main ring acceleration cycle.
The booster synchrotron has a circumference equal to 1/13.5 that of the main ring. The 12 pulses
are injected head to tail to fill most of the main ring circumference.
A cross section of a superconducting bending magnet from the energy doubler is shown in
Figure 15.17b. It consists of a central bore tube of average radius 7 cm surrounded by
superconducting windings with a spatial distribution calculated to give a highly uniform bending
field. The windings are surrounded by a layer of stainless steel laminations to clamp the windings
536
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
537
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
538
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
securely to the tube. The assembly is supported in a vacuum cryostat by fiberglas supports,
surrounded by a thermal shield at liquid nitrogen temperature. A flow of liquid helium maintains
the low temperature of the magnet coils. Bending magnets in the energy doubler are 6.4 m in
length. A total of 774 units are necessary. Quadrupoles are constructed in a similar manner; a total
of 216 focusing magnets are required. The parameters of the FNAL accelerator are listed in Table
15.2.
Storage rings consist of bending and focusing magnets and a vacuum chamber in which
high-energy particles can be stored for long periods of time. The background pressure must be
very low to prevent particle loss through collisions. Storage rings are filled with particles by a
high-energy synchrotron or a linear accelerator. Their geometry is almost identical to the
separated function synchrotron. The main difference is that the particle energy remains constant.
The magnetic field is constant, resulting in considerable simplification of the design. A storage
ring may have one or more acceleration cavities to compensate for radiative energy loss of
electrons or for longitudinal bunching of ions.
539
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
One of the main applications of storage rings is in colliding beam facilities for high-energy particle
physics. A geometry used in the ISR (intersecting storage ring) at CERN is shown in Figure
15.18. Two storage rings with straight and curved sections are interleaved. Proton beams
circulating in opposite directions intersect at small angles at eight points of the ring.
Proton-proton interactions are studied by detectors located near the intersection points.
Colliding beams have a significant advantage for high-energy physics research. The main
requisite for probing the nature of elementary particles is that a large amount of energy must be
available to drive reactions with a high threshold. When a moving beam strikes a stationary target
(Fig. 15.19a), the kinetic energy of the incident particle is used inefficiently. Conservation of
momentum dictates that a large portion of the energy is transformed to kinetic energy of the
reaction products. The maximum energy available to drive a reaction in Figure 15.19a can be
calculated by a transformation to the center-of-momentum (CM) frame. In the CM frame, the
incident and target particles move toward one another with equal and opposite momenta. The
reaction products need not have kinetic energy to conserve momentum when viewed in the CM
frame; therefore, all the initial kinetic energy is available for the reaction.
For simplicity, assume that the rest mass of the incident particle is equal to that of the target
particle. Assume the CM frame moves at a velocity cβu relative to the stationary frame. Using Eq.
(2.30), the velocity of the target particle in the CM frame is given by
cβ2 cβu, (15.58)
Both particles have the same value of γ’ in the CM frame; the condition of equal and opposite
momenta implies
540
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
βu (1/β1) (1/β1) 1.
2
(15.61)
Equation (15.61) allows us to compare the energy invested in the incident particle,
T (γ11) m oc 2, (15.62)
where
γ1 1/ 1β1, γ1 1/ 1βu.
2 2
541
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Table 15.3 shows Tcm/T as a function of γ1, along with equivalent kinetic energy values for
protons. In the non-relativistic range, half the energy is available. The fraction drops off at high
kinetic energy. Increasing the kinetic energy of particles striking a stationary target gives
diminishing returns. The situation is much more favorable in an intersecting storage ring. The
stationary frame is the CM frame. The CM energy available from ring particles with γ1 is
Tcm 2 (γ11) m oc 2. (15.63)
542
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
For example, a 21-GeV proton accelerator operated in conjunction with an intersecting storage
ring can investigate the same reactions as a 1000-GeV accelerator with a stationary target. The
price to pay for this advantage is reduction in the number of measurable events for physics
experiments. A stationary target is usually at solid density. The density of a stored beam is
more than 10 orders of magnitude lower. A major concern in intersecting storage rings is
luminosity, a measure of beam density in physical space and velocity space. Given a
velocity-dependent cross section, the luminosity determines the reaction rate between the beams.
The required luminosity depends on the cross section of the reaction and the nature of the event
detectors.
A list of accelerators and storage rings with the most energetic beams is given in Table 15.4.
The energy figure is the kinetic energy measured in the accelerator frame. The history of
accelerators for particle physics during the last 50 years has been one of an exponential increase in
the available CM energy. Although this is attributable in part to an increase in the size of
equipment, the main reason for the dramatic improvement has been the introduction of new
acceleration techniques. When a particular technology reached the knee of its growth curve, a
new type of accelerator was developed. For example, proton accelerators evolved from
electrostatic machines to cyclotrons. The energy energy limit of cyclotrons was resolved by
synchrocyclotrons which lead to the weak focusing synchrotron. The development of strong
focusing made the construction of large synchrotrons possible. Subsequently, colliding beam
techniques brought about a substantial increase in CM energy from existing machines. At
present, there is considerable activity in converting the largest synchrotrons to colliding beam
facilities.
In the continuing quest for high-energy proton beams for elementary particle research, the next
stated goal is to reach a proton kinetic energy of 20 TeV (20 × 1012 eV). At present, the only
identified technique to achieve such an extrapolation is to build an extremely large machine. A
20-TeV synchrotron with conventional magnets operating at an average field of I T has a radius
of 66 km and a circumference of 414 km. The power requirements of conventional magnets in
such a large machine are prohibitive; superconducting magnets are essential. Superconducting
magnets can be designed in two ranges. Superconducting coils can be combined with a
conventional pole assembly for fields below saturation. Because superconducting coils sustain a
field with little power input, there is also the option for high-field magnets with completely
saturated poles. A machine with 6-T magnets has a circumference of 70 km.
Studies have recently been carried out for a superconducting super collider (SSC) [see, M.
Tigner, Ed., Accelerator Physics Issues for a Superconducting Super Collider, University of
Michigan, UM HE 84-1, 1984]. This machine is envisioned as two interleaved 20-TeV proton
synchrotrons with counter-rotating beams and a number of beam intersection regions. Estimates
of the circumference of the machine range from 90 to 160 km, depending on details of the magnet
design. The CM energy is a factor of 40 higher than that attainable in existing accelerators. If it is
constructed, the SSC may mark the termination point of accelerator technology in terms of
particle energy; it is difficult to imagine a larger machine. Considerations of cost versus rewards in
building the SSC raise interesting questions about economic limits to our knowledge of the
543
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
universe.
The description of longitudinal particle motion in synchrotrons has two unique aspects compared
to synchrocyclotrons and AVF cyclotrons. The features arise from the geometry of the machine
and the high energy of the particles:
Models are developed in this section to describe the longitudinal dynamics of particles in
synchrotrons. We begin by introducing the quantity γt, the transition gamma factor. The parameter
characterizes the dependence of particle orbit radius in the focusing lattice to changes in
momentum. We shall see that γt corresponds to the relativistic mass factor at the transition energy.
After calculating examples of γt in different focusing systems, we shall investigate the equilibrium
conditions that define a synchronous phase. The final step is to calculate longitudinal oscillations
about the synchronous particle.
The transition gamma factor is defined by
δp/p s
γt
2
, (15.64)
δS/S
544
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
where ps is the momentum of the synchronous particle and S is the pathlength of its orbit around
the machine. In a circular accelerator with no straight sections, the equilibrium radius is related to
pathlength by S = 2πR; therefore,
δp/p s
γt
2
, (15.65)
δR/R
The transition gamma factor must be evaluated numerically for noncircular machines with
complex lattices. We will develop simple analytic expressions for γt in ideal circular accelerators
with weak and strong focusing.
In a weak focusing synchrotron, momentum is related to vertical magnetic field and position by
Eq. (3.38), p qrB, so that
δp/ps (δr/R) (δB/Bo). (15.66)
for δr « R and δB « Bo . The relative change in vertical field can be related to the change in
radius though Eq. (7.18), so that
δp/ps ωr 2
2
γt (1 n) . (15.67)
δr/R ωgo
The requirement of stable betatron oscillations in a weak focusing machine limits γt to the range
0 < γt < 1 .
We can also evaluate γt for an ideal circular machine with uniform bending field and a strong
focusing system. Focusing in the radial direction is characterized by νr, the number of radial
betatron oscillations per revolution. For simplicity, assume that the particles are relativistic so that
the magnetic forces are almost independent of energy. The quantity R is the equilibrium radius for
particles of momentum γomoc . The radial force expanded about R is
Fr γomoω2r δr qBoc, (15.68)
where δr = r - R. The equilibrium radius for momentum (γoδγ) moc is determined by the balance
of magnetic forces with centrifugal force, (γoδγ) moc 2/r .Neglecting second-order terms, we find
that
γomoωr δr qBoc γom oc 2/R δγmoc 2/R γmoc 2 δr/R 2.
2
(15.69)
545
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
(δr/R) (ωr
2
ω2go) (δγ/γo) ω2go (δp/p) ω2go,
or
γt 1 (ωr/ωgo)2 1 νr .
2 2
(15.70)
Note that γt » 1 in a strong focusing system with high νr. Therefore, particle position in a strong
focusing system is much less sensitive to momentum errors than in a weak focusing system.
Both the magnetic field and frequency of accelerating electric fields must vary in a synchrotron
to maintain a synchronous particle with constant radius R. There are a variety of possible
acceleration histories corresponding to different combinations of synchronous phase, cavity
voltage amplitude, magnetic field strength, and rf frequency. We shall derive equations to relate
the different quantities.
We begin by calculating the momentum of the synchronous particle as a function of time.
Assume the acceleration gap has narrow width δ so that transit-time effects can be neglected. The
electric force acting on the synchronous particle in a gap with peak voltage Vo is
qE (qVo sinφs/δ). (15.71)
The momentum change passing through the gap is the electric force times the transit time, or
∆ps (qVo sinφs/δ) (δ/vs), (15.72)
where vs is the synchronous particle velocity. Acceleration occurs over a large number of
revolutions; it is sufficient to approximate ps as a continuous function of time. The smoothed
derivative of ps is found by dividing both sides of Eq. (15.72) by the revolution time
τo 2πR/vs. (15.73)
The result is
dps/dt qVo sinφs/2πR. (15.74)
Either Eq. (15.74) or (15.75) can be used to find ps(t). Equation (2.37) can then be used to
determine γs(t) from ps(t). The time history of the frequency is then constrained. The revolution
546
Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
frequency is ωgo vs/R (c/R) 1 1/γ2s through Eq. (2.21). The rf frequency must be an
integer multiple of the revolution frequency, ω Mωgo . In small synchrotrons, M may equal 1 to
minimize the rf frequency. In larger machines, M is usually greater than unity. In this case, there
are M circulating beam bunches contained in the ring. The rf frequency is related to the particle
energy by
ω (Mc/R) 1 1/γs .
2
(15.77)
Similarly, the equation Bo γomovs/qR implies that the magnetic field magnitude is
Bo (moc/qR) γ2s 1. (15.78)
As an example of the application of Eqs. (15.75), (15.77), and (15.78), consider the parameters
of a moderate-energy synchrotron (the Bevatron). The injection and final energies for protons are
9.8 MeV and 6.4 GeV. The machine radius is 18.2 m and M = 1. The variations of rf frequency
and Bo during an acceleration cycle are plotted in Figure 15.20. The magnetic field rises from
0.025 to 1.34 T and the frequency ( f ω/2π ) increases from 0.37 to 2.6 MHz.
The reasoning that leads to Eq. (15.74) can also be applied to derive a momentum equation for
a nonsynchronous particle. Again, averaging the momentum change around one revolution,
dp/dt (qVo/2πR) sinφ, (15.80)
where R is the average radial position of the particle. Substituting δp p ps , we find (as in
Section 13.3) that
dδp/dt (qVo/2πR) (sinφ sinφs) (qVoωgo/2βsc) (sinφ sinφs). (15.81)
Applying Eq. (15.6), changes of phase can be related to the difference between the orbital
frequency of a nonsynchronous particle to the rf frequency,
dφ/dt ω Mωg. (15.82)
The orbital frequency must be related to variations of relativistic momentum in order to generate a
closed set of equations. The revolution time for a nonsynchronous particle is τ 2πr/v 2π/ωg ,
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Differential changes in τ arise from variations in particle velocity and changes in orbit radius. The
following equations pertain to small changes about the parameters of the synchronous particle
orbit:
δτ/τo δωg/ωgo (δr/R) (δv/v s) (δr/R) (δβ/βs). (15.83)
The final form is derived from Eq. (2.22) with some algebraic manipulation. Noting that
δβ/βs (1 βs ) (δp/ps) , we find that
2
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
Equations (15.81), (15.82), and (15.86) can be combined into a single equation for phase in the
limit that the parameters of the synchronous particle and the rf frequency change slowly compared
to the time scale of a phase oscillation. This is an excellent approximation for the long
acceleration cycle of synchrotrons. Treating ω as a constant in Eq. (15.82), we find
d 2φ/dt 2 M (dωg/dt). (15.87)
Combining Eqs. (15.85), (15.86), and (15.87), the following equation describes phase dynamics in
the synchrotron:
d 2φ/dt 2 (Mω2go/γom oc 2β2s ) (eVo/2π) [(1/γ2t ) (1/γ2s )] (sinφ sinφs). (15.88)
Equation (15.88) describes a nonlinear oscillator; it is similar to Eq. (13.21) with the exception of
the factor multiplying the sine functions. We discussed the implications of Eq. (13.21) in Section
13.3, including phase oscillations, regions of acceptance for longitudinal stability, and
compression of phase oscillations. Phase oscillations in synchrotrons have two features that are
not encountered in linear accelerators:
2. The coefficient of the sine terms may be either positive or negative, depending on the
average particle energy.
In the limit of small phase excursion ( ∆φ « 1 ), the angular frequency for phase oscillations in a
synchrotron is
M cosφs eVo 1
ωs ωgo 12 (15.89)
2
2πβs γs m o c 2 2
γt γs
Note that the term in brackets contains dimensionless quantities and a factor proportional to the
ratio of the peak energy gain in the acceleration gap divided by the particle energy. This is a very
small quantity; therefore, the synchrotron oscillation frequency is small compared to the frequency
for particle revolutions or betatron oscillations. The radial oscillations occur at angular frequency
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
ws. In the range well beyond transition ( γs » γt ), the amplitude of radial oscillations can be
expressed simply as
δr R (∆φ/M) (ωs/ωgo), (15.90)
The strong focusing principle [N. C. Christofilos, U.S. Patent No. 2,736,799 (1950)] was in large
part responsible for the development of synchrotrons with output beam kinetic energy exceeding
10 GeV. Strong focusing leads to a reduction in the dimensions of a beam for a given transverse
velocity spread and magnetic field strength. In turn, the magnet gap and transverse extent of the
good field region can be reduced, bringing about significant reductions in the overall size and cost
of accelerator magnets.
Weak focusing refers to beam confinement systems in circular accelerators where the betatron
wavelength is longer than the machine circumference. The category includes the gradient-type
field of betatrons and uniform-field cyclotrons. Strong focusing accelerators have λb < 2πR , a
consequence of the increased focusing forces. Examples are the alternating-gradient configuration
and FD or FODO combinations of quadrupole lenses. Progress in rf linear accelerators took place
largely in the early 1950s after the development of high-power rf equipment. Although some early
ion linacs were built with solenoidal lenses, all modem machines use strong focusing quadrupoles,
either magnetic or electric.
The advantage of strong focusing can be demonstrated by comparing the vertical acceptance of
a weak focusing circular accelerator to that of an altemating-gradient (AG) machine. Assume that
the AG field consists of FD focusing cells of length I (along the beam orbit) with field index ±n,
where n » 1. The vertical position of a particle at cell boundaries is given by
z zo cos(Mµ φ), (15.92)
where
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
and M is the cell number. For µ # 1 , the orbit consists of a sinusoidal oscillation extending over
many cells with small-scale oscillations in individual magnets. Neglecting the small oscillations,
the orbit equation for particles on the beam envelope is
z zo cos(µS/l φ), (15.93)
where S, the distance along the orbit, is given by S = Ml. The angle of the orbit is approximately
z (zoµ/l) sin(µS/l φ). (15.94)
In comparing Eqs. (15.95) and (15.97), note that the field index for weak focusing must be less
than unity. In contrast, the individual field indices of magnets in the alternating gradient are made
as large as possible, consistent with practical magnet design. Typically, the field indices are chosen
to give µ - 1 . For the same field strength, the acceptance of the strong focusing system is
therefore larger by a factor on the order of R/l or N/2π, where N is the number of focusing cells.
The quantity N is a large number. For example, N = 60 in the AGS accelerator at Brookhaven
National Laboratory.
The major problem of strong focusing systems is that they are sensitive to alignment errors and
other perturbations. The magnets of a strong focusing system must be located precisely. We shall
estimate the effects of alignment error in a strong focusing system using the transport matrix
formalism (Chapter 8). The derivation gives further insight into the origin of resonant instabilities
introduced in Section 7.2.
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
For simplicity, consider a circular strong focusing machine with uniformly distributed cells.
Assume that there is an error of alignment in either the horizontal or vertical direction between
two cells. The magnets may be displaced a distance ε, as shown in Figure 15.21a. In this case, the
position component of an orbit vector is transformed according to
x Yxε (15.98)
when the particle crosses the boundary. An error in magnet orientation by an angle ε' (Fig.
15.21b) causes a change in the angular part of the orbit vector:
x Y x ε (15.99)
where ε ( ε, ε ) .
Let A be the transfer matrix for a unit cell of the focusing system and assume that there are N
cells distributed about the circle. The initial orbit vector of a particle is u0. For convenience, u0 is
defined at a point immediately following the imperfection. After a revolution around the machine
and traversal of the field error, the orbit vector becomes
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
uN A N u0 ε. (15.101)
where I is the identity matrix. By induction, the transformation of the orbit matrix for n
resolutions is
unN A nN u0 D nε. (15.103)
where
Dn (A (n1)N A (n2)N ... A N I). (15.104)
We found in Chapter 8 that the first term on the right-hand side of Eq. 1(15.103) corresponds to
bounded betatron oscillations when stability criteria are satisfied. The amplitude of the term is
independent of the perturbation. Particle motion induced by the alignment error is described by
the second term. The expression for Dn can be simplified using the eigenvectors (Section 8.6) of
the matrix A: ν1 and ν2. The eigenvectors form a complete set; any two-dimensional vector,
including ε can be resolved into a sum of eigenvectors:
ε a1 ν1 a2 ν2. (15.105)
We found in Section 8.6 that the eigenvalues for a transfer matrix A are
λ1 exp( jµ), λ2 exp(jµ). (15.106)
where µ is the phase:advance in a cell. Substituting Eq. (15.106) in Eq. (15.103), we find
Dnε a1 ν1 exp[j(n1)Nµ] exp[j(n2)Nµ] ... 1
(15.107)
a2 ν2 exp[j(n1)Nµ] exp[j(n2)Nµ] ... 1 ,
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
or, alternately,
D nε [sin(nNµ/2)/sin(nµ/2)]
(15.109)
× [exp[ j(n1)Nµ/2)] a1 ν1 exp[j(n1)Nµ/2)] a2 ν2].
The second term in braces is always bounded; it has a magnitude on the order of ε. The first term
in brackets determines the cumulative effect of many transitions across the alignment error. The
term becomes large when the denominator approaches zero; this condition occurs when
µ 2πM/N, (15.110)
where M is an integer. Equation (15.110) can be rewritten in terms of ν, the number of betatron
wavelengths per revolution:
ν M. (15.111)
This is the condition for an orbital resonance. When there is a resonance, the effects of an
alignment error sum on successive revolutions. The amplitude of oscillatory motion grows with
time. The motion induced by an error when ν M is an oscillation superimposed on betatron
and synchrotron oscillations. The amplitude of the motion can be easily estimated. For instance, in
the case of a position error of magnitude ε, it is ε/sin(Nµ/2) .
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Cyclotrons and Synchrotrons
An alternate view of the nature of resonant instabilities, mode coupling, is useful for general
treatments of particle instabilities. The viewpoint arises from conservation of energy and the
second law of thermodynamics. The second law implies that there is equipartition of energy
between the various modes of oscillation of a physical system in equilibrium. In the treatment of
resonant instabilities in circular accelerators, we included two modes of oscillation: (1) the
revolution of particles at frequency ωgo and (2) betatron oscillations. There is considerable
longitudinal energy associated with particle revolution and, under normal circumstances, a small
amount of energy in betatron oscillations.
In a linear analysis, there is no exchange of energy between the two modes. A field error
introduces a nonlinear coupling term, represented by Dnε in Eq. (15.103). This term allows
energy exchange. The coupling is strong when the two modes are in resonance. The second law
implies that the energy of the betatron oscillations increases. A complete nonlinear analysis
predicts that the system ultimately approaches an equilibrium with a thermalized distribution of
particle energy in the transverse and longitudinal directions. In an accelerator, the beam is lost on
vacuum chamber walls well before this state is reached.
In a large circular accelerator, there are many elements of periodicity that can induce resonance
coupling of energy to betatron oscillations. In synchrotrons, where particles are contained for long
periods of time, all resonance conditions must be avoided. Resonances are categorized in terms of
forbidden numbers of betatron wavelengths per revolution. The physical bases of some forbidden
values are listed in Table 15.5.
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