Multiple-measurement beam probe

Particle accelerators are becoming smaller and are producing more intense beams; therefore, it is critical that beam-diagnostic instrumentation provide accelerator operators and automated control systems with a complete set of beam information. Traditionally, these beam data were collected and processed using limited-bandwidth interceptive techniques. For the new-generation accelerators, a multiple-measurement microstrip probe is being developed to obtain broadband beam data from inside a drift tube without perturbing the beam. The cylindrical probe's dimensions are 6-cm o.d. by 1.0 cm long, and the probe is mounted inside a drift tube. The probe (and its associated electronics) monitors bunched-beam current, energy, and transverse position by sensing the beam's electromagnetic fields through the annular opening in the drift tube. The electrical impedance is tightly controlled through the full length of the probe and transmission lines to maintain beam-induced signal fidelity. The probe's small, cylindrical structure is matched to beam-bunch characteristics at specific beamline locations so that signal-to-noise ratios are optimized. Surrounding the probe, a mechanical structure attaches to the drift-tube interior and the quadrupole magnets; thus, the entire assembly's mechanical and electrical centers can be aligned and calibrated with respect to the rest of the linac