Status of the ''PATH'' magnetic optics design code

The PATH codes are used to design magnetic optics subsystems for neutral particle beam systems. This paper describes several checks and modifications that have been made to PATH. The third order hard-edge quadrupole model in PATH has been checked against direct numerical integration (raytracing) and found to be accurate to better than 0.5 microradian. The original third order linear ramp quadrupole fringe field model in PATH has been checked against raytracing and against an alternative linear ramp fringe field model and found to be accurate to better than 0.1 microradian. An alternative third order nonlinear ramp quadrupole fringe field model has been added to PATH. This model is a close approximation to the fringe field of a Halbach ring magnet and has been checked by raytracing and has been found to be accurate to better than 0.1 microradian. PATH has been modified to model combined quadrupole/octupole elements through third order. The paper describes this model and presents results obtained by optimizing quadrupole and octupole elements to produce lowest beam divergence performance for a neutral particle beam expander