PULSED SC ION LINAC AS AN INJECTOR TO BOOSTER OF ELECTRON

The medium energy electron-ion collider (MEIC) being developed at JLAB requires a new ion accelerator complex (IAC). The IAC includes a new linac and a new booster accelerator. The new facility is required for the acceleration of ions from protons to lead for colliding beam experiments with electrons in the EIC storage ring. Originally, we proposed a pulsed linac with a NC frontend up to 5 MeV/u and a SC section for higher energies. The linac is capable of providing 285 MeV protons and ~100 MeV/u lead ions for injection into the IAC booster. A recent cost optimization study of the IAC suggested that lower injection energy into the booster may reduce the overall cost of the project with ~130 MeV protons and ~42 MeV/u lead ions. Stronger space charge effects in the booster caused by lower injection energy will be mitigated by the appropriate booster design. In this paper we discuss both linac options.