Concept of the Fourth-Generation Neutron Source in Dubna

The principles of designing a subcritical neutron-multiplying system with reactivity modulation, which can be used as the target in a superbooster with a linear proton accelerator, are described. Calculations demonstrate that the output neutron-flux density of a pulse can be expected to reach 10¹⁷ cm^–2 s^–1 at maximum and 2 × 10¹⁴ cm^–2 s^–1 on average. The pulse duration of thermal neutrons can be 200–300 and 20–30 μs depending on the moderator and the corresponding pulse duration of the proton accelerator.     

Generating Proton Beams Exceeding 10 MeV Using High Contrast 60TW Laser

A prototype of a laser driven proton accelerator is built at Peking University. Protons exceeding 10 MeV are accelerated from micrometer-thick aluminum targets irradiated by tightly focused laser pulse with 1.8 J energy and 30 fs duration. The beam energy spectrum and charge distribution are measured by a Thomson parabola spectrometer and radiochromic film stacks. The sensitivity of proton cut-off energy to the focusing of the laser beam, the pulse duration, and the foil thickness are systematically investigated in the experiments. Stable proton beams have been produced with an optimized parameter set, providing a cornerstone for the future applications of laser accelerated protons.     

A pulsed neutron source on the proton beam for the Moscow Meson Factory

A new pulsed neutron source based on a beam-blanking device has been under construction and improvement at the Moscow Meson Factory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Neutrons are generated in the course of the spallation process in a water-cooled tungsten target by a proton beam with an energy of 209 MeV. After water moderator (3 cm), neutrons are guided in three horizontal and one vertical channels with a length varying from 4 to 50 m. The standard duration of the proton pulse from the accelerator is 60 μs. At present, the average proton current is as high as 150 μA for a repetition rate of 50 Hz. The neutron fluence in the target is equal to 0.9 × 10¹⁵ neutrons/s, which corresponds to the requirements imposed on the intensity of modern pulsed neutron sources.     

Interaction of an electron bunch with a laser pulse in vacuum

The output properties of electrons accelerated by the vacuum laser acceleration scheme CAS (capture and acceleration scenario) are addressed. The transport process of the electron bunch, the fraction of the CAS electrons of the incident electrons, the correlation of electron energy with position and scattering angle, the energy spectrum and angular distributions as well as the emittance of the outgoing electrons are studied at a laser intensity of a₀=10. In addition, the effects of the laser intensity, beam width, and pulse duration on the properties of the output electrons are also examined. Physical explanations of those output characteristics are presented based on the mechanism behind the CAS scheme. The feasibility of CAS to become a realistic laser accelerator scheme is explored. PACS 41.75.Jv; 42.60.Jf; 41.85.Ja     

用20—1020 keV单能质子刻度CR-39固体核径迹探测器

用北京师范大学2×1.7MV串列加速器和400 kV高压倍加器产生的20—1020 keV单能质子束对CR-39固体核径迹探测器进行了刻度.为了保证质子的单能性和固体核径迹探测器上径迹密度不能超过10⁶/cm²的要求,对两台加速器分别采用了不同方法控制质子辐照数量.在串列加速器上采用了狭缝加转盘的方法,在高压倍加器上采用了100 ns单次高压脉冲扫描束流的方法,既保持了质子的单色性,又达到了质子注量小于10⁶/cm²的 关键词： 单能质子 固体核径迹探测器 CR-39     

Tests on a LEA with HF generator energy storage

Test are reported on a linear electron accelerator LEA whose high-frequency power supply stores energy, which raises the pulse power at the input to the accelerating section without raising the mean power consumed. The accumulation is provided by two high-quality cavities. The current load affects the beam characteristics, and the measurements are compared with calculations.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 60–68, August, 1989.     

Integrated Acousto-Optical Temperature Sensor

In this work, we investigate the performance of a novel integrated acousto-optical temperature sensor fabricated in LiNbO₃ and operating with ultrashort light pulses (2 ps). Five parameters (time duration, bandwidth, time intensity maximum, frequency intensity maximum, and output energy on the output pulse converted for the TM mode, as a function of temperature) were observed for the switched pulse at the output of the sensor (TM mode) with and without the presence of an increasing linear self-phase modulation (SPM) profile. Comparing all analyzed parameters, one can conclude that the pulse intensity is presenting the larger variation (100.09%) as a function of the temperature change (24.5 to 400°C) in a configuration without profile. Considering the increasing linear SPM profile, all the analyzed parameters are presenting a significant increase in the percentile variations in the studied range of temperature (24.5 to 400°C). Comparing all the five parameters, in two configurations (with and without the use of linear SPM profile), one can conclude that the time intensity maximum showed to be the most suitable parameter as measurement to be accomplished in a schematic detection for the temperature sensing in the range 24.5 to 400°C. We can conclude that the sensitivity of the AOTS is improving in the configuration with the increasing nonlinearity profile (β = 2) and for higher temperature.     

介质壁直线加速器加速单元间的电路耦合及解耦

中国工程物理研究院流体物理研究所研发的介质壁直线加速器是基于固态脉冲形成线、GaAs光导开关和高梯度绝缘介质壁三项关键技术的新型直线脉冲加速器。在加速器调试阶段,测量出获得加速的质子束流能量远低于预期值,在排除功率源负载能力因素之后,发现脉冲功率源因连接回路引起的电路耦合效应是导致束流能量低的主要原因。基于介质壁直线加速器加速单元放电回路结构的分析,确认了加速单元之间的电路耦合的必然性。并通过测量回路电流,研究了几种不同工作模式下的电路耦合效应。结合电路耦合的特点,给出了两种基于磁芯隔离的解耦方法,并测量了这两种方法的解耦效率。     

Beam dynamics studies on the 100 MeV/100 kW electron linear accelerator for NSC KIPT neutron source

We designed a 100 MeV/100 kW electron linear accelerator for NSC KIPT, which will be used to drive a neutron source on the basis of subcritical assembly. Beam dynamics studies have been conducted to reach the design requirements (E=100 MeV, P=100 kW, dE/E<1% for 99% particles). In this paper, we will present the progress of the design and the dynamic simulation results. For high intensity and long beam pulse linear accelerators, the BBU effect is one big issue; special care has been taken in the accelerating structure design. To satisfy the energy spread requirement at the linac exit, the particles with large energy difference from the synchronous particle should be eliminated at a low energy stage to ease the design of the collimation system and radiation shielding. A dispersion free chicane with 4 bending magnets is introduced downstream of the 1st accelerating section; the unwanted particles will be collimated there.     

Compression of the pulses of a Ti:sapphire laser system to 5 femtoseconds at 0.2 terawatt level

High intensity contrast ratio, pre-pulse free pulses with pulse duration of 5 fs and pulse energy of 1 mJ were generated at a repetition rate of 1 kHz by compressing the output pulses of a multi-stage Ti:sapphire laser amplifier system in a Ne-gas-filled hollow fibre. The spatial and temporal properties of the output laser beam were fully characterised. PACS 42.60.Jf; 42.65.Re; 42.81.Qb     

THE STUDIES FOR ADJUSTABLE ENERGY OF PROTON BEAMS FROM PROTON LINEAR ACCELERATOR

In this paper, the principle of adjusting the proton energy from the linear accelerator with energy adjusting cavities is proposed. The requirements to energy adjusting cavities for tuning the proton energy efficiently and continually are studied. The energy range adjustable and the energy spread are calculated for 35 MeV proton linac which is in the course of construction at the Institute of High Energy Physics, as an example. The energy spread as a function of electric parameters of energy adjusting cavities are also discussed. A specific and economical method to supply rf power to energy adjusting cavities is presented.     

Ionization spectrum transformation and compression of powerful femtosecond laser pulses in experiments on the propagation in gas-filled dielectric capillaries

The propagation of an intense (I≤10⁶ W/cm²) femtosecond laser radiation with a duration of ～100 fs through gas-filled dielectric capillaries was studied. The radiation with a power up to 0.2 TW propagates along the paths up to 20 cm with a transmission efficiency of ～45%. The beam transverse structure at the output is close to the capillary fundamental mode under gas-ionization conditions. The transformation of pulse spectrum was studied as a function of input intensity. It is demonstrated experimentally that the pulse is compressed to a duration of ～30 fs due to the compensation of ionization-induced self-phase modulation in a linear dispersive element at the capillary output.     

Dynamics of an electron beam from a high-current picosecond accelerator

The dynamics of a high-current (10²–10⁴ A) electron beam with energies of 10⁵–10⁶ eV and picosecond duration (10⁻¹⁰ s) at the output of the accelerator tube is investigated. The slowing of electrons by the residual positive charge on the surface of the tube is found to have a significant influence in the case of short pulse durations. The distance of the electron beam from the surface of the tube in vacuum is estimated on the basis of a one-dimensional model. It is shown that the electron radiation can travel to a distance of several centimeters from the surface at current densities below 20 A/mm², whereas at high current densities the beam is trapped near the surface. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 111–115 (May 1999)     

绝缘微堆质子直线加速器关键技术研究进展

基于绝缘微堆技术的直线加速器由于其能够实现较高的粒子加速梯度,尤其在质子加速及肿瘤治疗领域的优势得到高度关注。目前该种加速器处于研发阶段,有一系列技术和工程问题有待解决。介绍了课题组在过去的两年里围绕建立一台1 MeV质子注入器原型样机在固态脉冲功率系统、绝缘微堆及质子束源等方面取得的研究进展。实现了耐压梯度接近20 MV/m的环形绝缘微堆样品,样品内径30 mm,外径50mm,厚度15mm,基本达到设计要求;固态脉冲功率系统实现了光导开关多路稳定工作模式,开关直流偏置耐压达到20kV,采用激光二极管触发同步系统在15路同步时实现了低于1ns的抖动,输出300kV的电压脉冲,输出电压脉冲宽度10ns;进行了低能质子加速束流动力学的初步分析和模拟工作,模拟结果表明采用微堆结构可以实现质子束的有效加速和传输。     

高能同步辐射光源直线加速器初期调束取得重要进展

高能同步辐射光源（HEPS）是中国第一台第四代高能同步辐射光源,其加速器由直线加速器、增强器、储存环及输运线组成。报道了HEPS直线加速器的初期束流调试重要进展。HEPS直线加速器是一台500 MeV S波段常温直线加速器,由热阴极电子枪、聚束系统、主直线加速器构成。在按时完成设备加工、安装和老练的基础上,于2023年3月9日启动束流调试,当天实现束流全线贯通。3月14日束流能量达到500 MeV,束团电荷量达到2.5 nC。经过测量,直线加速器出口束流能散0.4%,能量稳定度0.06%,水平和垂直几何发射度分别为233 nm和145 nm。目前直线加速器束团电荷量可达到7.0 nC,相关束流调试正在进行。     

Hydrogen ion source with a cold magnetron cathode and magnetic plasma compression

A hydrogen ion source designed for the injector of a 16-MeV linear proton accelerator with an average beam current of ∼100 μA is presented. New design approaches allowing an improvement in the operating parameters of the ion source are proposed. The results of experimental tests of a source prototype operating in a pulsed mode with a repetition rate of 1–10 Hz and pulse duration of 100–600 μs are described.     

Optimization Design of Helix Pitch for Efficiency Enhancement in the Helix Travelling Wave Tubes

The output section of a helix travelling wave tube usually contains a helix pitch taper for high rf electron efficiency. By keeping the rf field as synchronous as possible with the decelerating electron beam bunches, the rf field can extract much more energy from the beam, and thus the maximum electron efficiency can be realized. Recently, a global simulated annealing algorithm has been employed to design the helix pitch profile so as to improve the electron efficiency as much as possible. From the numerical results, it is concluded that the electron efficiency can be enhanced by about 4%-8%.     

Depolarization loss compensated resonator for electro-optic Q-switched solid-state laser

A novel laser resonator for compensating depolarization loss that is due to thermally induced birefringence in active rod is reported. As this new structure being applied to an electro-optic Q-switched LDA side-pumped Nd:YAG laser operating at a repetition rate of 1000 Hz, substantial reduction in depolarization loss has been observed, the output pulse energy is improved about 56% from that of a traditional resonator without compensation structure. With incident pump energy of 450 mJ per pulse, linearly polarized output energy of 30 mJ per pulse is achieved, the pulse duration is less than 15 ns, and the peak power of pulse is about 2 MW. The extinction ratio of laser beam is better than 10:1, and the beam divergence is 1.3 mrad with beam diameter of around 2.5 mm.     

Generation of superintense femtosecond pulses by the Cr:forsterite laser system

A repetitively pulsed chromium-forsterite laser system is created. High-power femtosecond light pulses are generated at the fundamental (1.24 μm) and second-harmonic (0.62 μm) wavelengths. Theoretical analysis is performed to optimize the output pulse energy. Laser pulses with a duration of 110 fs, an energy of 1 mJ, and a repetition rate of 1–50 Hz are generated. The intensity of the focused beam is greater than 10¹⁶ W/cm². High-efficiency radiation conversion into the second harmonic is used to increase the energy contrast of the generated pulses. Original Text ? Astro, Ltd., 2006.     

Characterisation of the high-energy neutron beam at iThemba LABS

Monoenergetic and white neutron beams with a maximum energy of 200 MeV are produced at the neutron beam facility of the iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences (iTL) by (p, n) reactions on Li, Be and C targets. The iTL separated-sector cyclotron can accelerate protons from 25 MeV to 200 MeV. Time of flight (TOF) measurements can be carried out by increasing the time separation between proton bunches up to 500 ns with a beam pulse selector. In the present work, the methods of beam characterisation used at this facility are discussed. Comparisons with metrological standards are presented. Specific issues related to monitoring the neutron fields at different accelerator settings are analysed.