Beam loss monitoring for demanding environments

Beam Loss Monitoring (BLM) is a key protection system for machines using beams with damage potential and is an essential beam diagnostic tool for any machine. All BLM systems are based on the observation of secondary particle showers originating from escaping beam particles. With ever higher beam energies and intensities, the loss of even a tiny fraction of the beam can lead to damage or, in the case of superconducting machines, quenches. Losses also lead to material aging and activation and should therefore be well controlled and reduced to a minimum. The ideal BLM system would have full machine coverage and the capability to accurately quantify the number of lost beam particles from the measured secondary shower. Position and time resolution, dynamic range, noise levels and radiation hardness all have to be considered, while at the same time optimizing the system for reliability, availability and maintainability. This contribution will focus on design choices for BLM systems operating in demanding environments, with a special emphasis on measuring particle losses in the presence of synchrotron radiation and other background sources. (author)