Improved field stability in RFQ structures with vane-coupling rings

The small apertures common in many RFQ linac designs lead to tuning difficulties, primarily because asymmetries in the quadrant fields can arise as a result of small non-uniformities in the vane-to-vane capacitances. Sensitivity to such capacitance or other tuning variation in the quadrants is greatly reduced by the introduction of pairs of vane-coupling rings that provide periodic electrical connections between diametrically opposite vanes. Results of measurements on a cold model RFQ structure with and without vane-coupling rings are presented. The number of rings required for field stabilization and the effect of rings on mode frequencies are discussed