56
Novel
Digital Beam-Current Detector with Ultra-High Precision and
Ultra-Large Dynamic Range--Hypres,
Inc., 175 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 1052-1109;
914-592-1190
Mr.
Wenquan Li, Principal Investigator, li@hypres.com
Mr.
Edward Kulinski, Business Official, ekulinski@hypres.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-01ER83200
Amount:
$99,963
By
accurately measuring average beam currents in a nuclear physics accelerator
facility, particle loss mechanisms can be diagnosed.
A non-intercepting detector for beam current measurements, with
ultra-high precision and ultra-large dynamic range, is needed for this
application. This project will
develop a non-intercepting beam-current detector, based on a frequency-modulated
digital SQUID, with quantum mechanical accuracy and 109 dynamic
range, capable of detecting a 10 nA current variation following a 10 A bunch
current pulse, without any subranging.
Ultimately, a modular, digital, and programmable current detector for use
in a wide variety of beam diagnostic applications will be developed. In Phase I, improvements will be made to an existing
frequency-modulated digital SQUID design to integrate the beam current detector
with superconducting circuits for ultra-high precision and ultra-high dynamic
range. An ultra-low-noise front end
will be developed. The system
requirements, hardware modularization, low-noise pickup coil design,
room-temperature interface hardware, digital coding, and signal reconstruction
hardware, will also be examined.
Commercial
Applications And Other Benefits as
described by awardee: The digital
beam-current detector should provide unprecendented dynamic range, superb
sensitivity, and ultra-high precision, while producing digital outputs that can
be processed with simpler, inexpensive electronics.
It should not only satisfy beam current detection requirements, but also
enable other future measurements, such as direct measurement of polarization for
nuclear physics and gate current noise diagnosis for the semiconductor industry.
The detector could also be used to measure magnetic field, and could
replace present-day analog SQUID magnetometers used for biomagnetic
measurements, by offering superior performance at a lower cost.