59
*STTR
Project: Pressurized RF Cavities for
Muon Ionization Cooling--MUONS, Inc.,
Dr.
Rolland P. Johnson, Principal Investigator, roljohn@aol.com
Ms.
Linda L. Even, Business Official, lle452b@aol.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-02ER86145
Amount:
$500,000
Research
Institution
Illinois
Institute of Technology
Chicago,
Ionization
cooling, a method for shrinking the size of a particle beam, is an essential
technique for future particle accelerators that use muons.
In particular, future muon colliders and neutrino factories will require
high voltage radio frequency (RF) cavities for ionization cooling.
Unlike any previous particle accelerator, muon beams in an ionization
cooling channel must be accelerated through an energy absorbing material.
This project will develop very high voltage RF cavities by filling them
with cold, pressurized helium or hydrogen gas, which also will serve as an
energy absorber to suppress high-voltage breakdown.
Phase I built an RF test cell suitable for
testing the breakdown characteristics of gases to be used in ionization cooling
applications. The test cell passed
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory safety requirements and was used at the
laboratory to measure the breakdown of hydrogen and helium gases under
high-pressure and low-temperature conditions at 805 MHz.
Phase II will develop RF cavities, pressurized with dense hydrogen or
helium gas, that are suitable for use in muon cooling and accelerator
applications. Measurements of RF
parameters (e.g. breakdown voltage, dark current, quality factor) for different
temperatures and pressures in magnetic and radiation fields will be taken in
order to optimize the design of prototypes for ionization-cooling demonstration
experiments.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as
described by awardee: The
estimated cost of the ionization-cooling component of each muon collider or
neutrino factory is roughly $350 million. By
allowing the voltage of the RF cavities used in these applications to be
significantly increased, this technology should lead to a correspondingly
shorter cooling channel and lower cost.