The RF Design of the Linac4 RFQ

In the Linac 4 and the SPL, a 3 MeV RFQ is required to accelerate the H⁻ beam from the ion source to the DTL input energy. While the 6-meter long IPHI RFQ was initially chosen for this application, a CERN study* suggested that a dedicated, shorter 3-meter RFQ might present several advantages. The 2D cross-section is optimized for lower power dissipation, while featuring simple geometrical shape suitable for easy machining. RF stability is evaluated using a 4-wire transmission model and 3D simulations, taking electrode modulation into account. The resulting RFQ is intrinsically stable and do not require rod stabilizers. End circuits are tuned with dedicated rods. RF power is fed via a ridged waveguide and a slot iris. Vacuum port assemblies are positioned prior to brazing to minimize RF perturbation. The 32 tuning slugs form a set of stable sampling, able to tune 9 modes. Tuner parameters are derived from bead-pull accuracy specification and fabrication tolerances. Signals delivered by pickup loops inserted in 16 of these tuners will be used to reconstruct the voltage profile under operation. Thermo-mechanical simulations are used to design temperature control specifications.