Transverse match of high peak-current beam into the LANSCE DTL using PARMILA

A new algorithm that uses a multiparticle PARMILA-based code to match high peak current H+ beam (∼21 mA) into the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) drift tube linac (DTL) has been developed. Two single cell rf bunchers in the low energy beam transport (LEBT) prepare the initially unbunched beam for DTL capture. The transverse distribution at the entrance to the DTL is set with four quadrupoles in the 1.26 m between the last transverse emittance measuring station and the DTL entrance. Previous matching algorithms used TRACE and TRACE 3-D to determine these quadrupole strengths. PARMILA simulation show this procedure produces non-zero mismatch and additional emittance growth through the DTL for high current beams. Because of strong space-charge forces and a rapidly forming longitudinal bunch, simple envelope calculations do not model the beam evolution in the LEBT well. A PARMILA model of this region was combined with ant iterative search routine to set the LEBT quadrupole strengths to achieve a better transverse match into the DTL. Simulations predict a significant reduction in transverse emittance at the exit of the DTL over the typical TRACE 3-D result