Spatially periodic radio-frequency quadrupole focusing linac

The new design for a spatially periodical rf quadrupole focusing linac is proposed. It consists of accelerating gaps formed between conventional cylindrical drift tubes, between drift tubes and rf quadrupoles with nonzero axial potential, and inside these rf quadrupoles, formed in the same way as in a conventional radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac with modulated electrodes. Such a combination provides both higher energy gain rate than conventional RFQ and stability of transverse motion for ion beams. The structure can be designed using various combinations of quadrupoles and drift tubes. Some options are considered in the paper using the smooth approximation method and computer simulation of beam dynamics. Transverse stability of particles has been studied. The proposed structure can provide suppression of rf defocusing effects on transverse beam dynamics. Some limitations of the spatially periodic rf quadrupole structure are mentioned.