Phase I Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) Synchrotron Light Source at Cornell University

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

Over the past several decades, particle accelerators have contributed greatly to our understanding of the nature of the universe. Further, their use in research programs world-wide has had a major impact on many sciences. The societal benefits of particle accelerators are especially evident in material science, nuclear medicine, molecular biology and in many other fields. Charged particles or the radiation they produce enable doctors to treat many forms of cancer; an application that is experiencing significant growth. Accelerators are now a major presence in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. As can be seen from the number of advertisements that appear monthly in such Journals as Physics Today and the CERN Courier, there is a dearth of personnel trained in accelerator physics and related technology. The nation's need for advances in the areas mentioned above requires the training of next-generation accelerator physicists, to carry out accelerator R & D on the cutting-edge. One such cutting edge project is based on the interest in using superconducting electron linacs with energy recovery as synchrotron radiation sources. Such energy recovery linacs (ERLs) would open new regimes of X-ray science because they are capable of producing ultra-brilliant X-ray beams, maintaining a very small source size suitable for micro X-ray beams, and making very intense fast X-ray pulses. Each of these characteristics would permit the execution of experiments that are not feasible with existing synchrotron sources. Many technical issues must be satisfactorily resolved before the potential of a full-scale ERL can be realised, including the generation of high average current, high-brightness electron beams; acceleration of these beams to suitable energies without unacceptable emittance degradation; stable and efficient operation of superconducting linear accelerators at very high gradients etc. Cornell University has proposed to resolve these issues by the construction of a prototype ERL. The intention is to then utilize the information that is learned from the prototype to propose the construction of a full-scale ERL light source. The purpose of this interdisciplinary proposal is to construct the first phase of that prototype.