MEMORANDUM


To: J. Albertine, D. Helms, W. Skinner

cc: Division (M7), FEL Coordination Group

From: F. Dylla

Subject: IRFEL Weekly Report, February 24-28, 1997

Date: February 28, 1997

Management

The DOE Basic Energy Sciences Program Office held a review of the IR Demo project and the Jefferson Lab FEL program on Feb. 23-25. The review was co-chaired by the Navy (John Albertine) and included six external reviewers. The review team gave the project excellent marks for the execution of the Demo project to date. A draft report is expected from the Team next week. Dylla and Helms have been invited to DOE-BES headquarters on March 6th to discuss continued interactions with BES.

A special effort was made this week to expedite the procurement efforts of the electron beam transport hardware (primarily the magnets), in order to eliminate the present negative schedule variance on this task and to ensure timely delivery of this hardware for the installation tasks.

Detailed scheduling efforts continued on two fronts: a new schedule for the Injector test Stand, reflecting the decision made last week to concentrate ITS efforts on gun testing and RF testing of the quarter cryounit.

The January monthly report was completed and distributed on Feb. 28th

Summaries of the Demo project and the December MTAC report were prepared for delivery to the Virginia Congressional delegation per their request.

Injector Test Stand

We started 24-hour operation of the photocathode gun at 250 keV, running three full days this week. In conjunction with gun operations, we aligned the drive laser to the photocathode, hard aperture, and camera in the test cell to permit laser-beam analysis. In general, the drive laser was brought back to a fully operational state. We also recesiated the cathode and brought it back up to several percent quantum efficiency. Subsequently, we made about 20 measurements of transverse emittance to verify the performance of the new hardware in the beamline and the reproducibility of measurements taken last November, and to quantify the effect of the rf kicker cavity on the beam. No effects have been observed which are directly attributable to the kicker cavity. However, we did have a failure of the kicker's high-power amplifier. After replacing it, we continued commissioning the rf system. In particular, we operated the kicker cavity in both cw and pulsed modes, achieving to date about 100 W cw and peak powers in the pulsed mode up to about 250 W. This performance is already adequate for the planned longitudinal phase-space measurements, but we are in the process of boosting the kicker cavity's performance to provide additional capability.

Regarding upgrading the photocathode gun:

* Coated Cathode-Support Tube - Electron-beam welding of the newly coated cathode support tube is being preceded by a weld test, scheduled for the middle of next week, on the sample tube that FM Technologies used to calibrate the coating machine. The test will tell us if there are any variables to watch for while welding and cleaning the cathode support tube.

* Ion-Implanted Ceramics - Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory achieved a bulk resistance of 2.8x10^9 ohms on the second ceramic, very near the target value of 2.5x10^9 ohms. They started implanting the first ceramic (after its original over-shot implantation was removed) using the continuous resistance-monitoring system they developed. LBL plans to ship a matched pair of ceramics today.

One back-up ceramic will have its flanges brazed on at Hitemp and be sent to LBL next week for its implantation. The remaining three oxide-coated ceramics are at Hitemp, awaiting full success with the ion-implantation technique before having their coatings removed.

Regarding other ITS activities:

There has been considerable activity toward qualifying warm windows for the injector cryounit. The resonant ring test facility was run with a single warm window and with no vacuum in the system. The window was exposed to rf power up to 50 kW with no breakage. A second window is now being tested. Additionally, the vacuum test fixture was reworked. It should be under vacuum and ready for tests by Monday, 3 March. Qualification of the 50 kW rf system for window testing is also scheduled for Monday.

Acceptance tests of the spare 50 kW klystron are continuing. In addition, the software and screens for the cryounit were successfully tested. The software for the mechanical tuners was also installed.

Accelerator Systems

Regarding the beam-transport system:

Design of the 180-degree dipole magnets started up again since the back-check changes to the optical-chicane-dipole drawings were completed at Northrop Grumman. The prints and specifications for the optical-chicane dipoles were sent Thursday evening (27 Feb) via overnight mail to vendors for bid. The design of the first reverse-bend dipole magnet was completed, and the drawings of the second reverse-bend dipole was started.

Design of the injection-line dipoles continued at Jefferson Lab with a projected completion date of March 14.

The prototype dipole magnet was used to test the effect of vacuum-chamber welds on its magnetic field. We found that 304 stainless steel provided good field uniformity across the whole chamber, better than 316 stainless steel. Accordingly, we have decided to use 304 stainless steel for the vacuum chambers. We also learned that we will need to test each chamber by running it in a magnet while using a field probe to measure the additional field contributed. We plan to use this contribution in combination with the natural variation among the family to mix and match the dipoles, making it easier to meet specifications for the absolute field value versus current. If this does not work, then we will have to shim the back legs among a family. This later option will add a significant amount of time to magnet measurements.

The prints for the differential pump station were signed. Design of the back-leg girder was put on hold to integrate vacuum pumps into all girders, and the injection-dipole girder is undergoing a last check by the alignment group. Most of the stands supporting the first-light portion of the machine are now in an advanced state of design and detailing, and sign-off of most of these items will take place next week.

Design of the vacuum chambers in the remaining first light regions started.

The request for bid on the two 100 A power supplies needed for the injection and extraction chicanes was sent to the power supply vendor.

The prototype trim quadrupole magnet underwent detailed magnetic measurements, and we are in the process of analyzing the data.

The prototype sextupole magnet underwent preliminary magnetic characterization. Its fringe field is high enough to merit adding a field clamp to contain it. We presently do not have a probe that can accurately characterize the multipoles on this 8-inch-bore device. Therefore, we made plans to construct such a probe from existing hardware and will use it to identify an optimal pole-tip profile. In the meantime, we will proceed with final design and procurement of sextupoles with square-edged pole tips and with provisions for field clamps. The pole tips will be removable, allowing us to customize their shapes at a later date.

Regarding cryomodule fabrication:

A delivery of twelve higher-order-mode (HOM) flange assemblies was returned to the vendor because they did not comply with drawing specifications. We do not anticipate this affecting production schedule.

The first cryomodule cavity pair finished testing this week in the Vertical Test Assembly. Preliminary analysis of the data is positive. Gradients are 10 MV/m or higher with little or no field emission evident. The second cryomodule cavity pair is scheduled for assembly on Tuesday (4 March).

Overall, cryomodule production proceeded nicely this week. In addition the warm-window testing results described above under "Injector Test Stand" support the idea that artificially high vacuum conditions during testing was the cause of limited window performance.

Regarding electron-beam diagnostics:

A preliminary investigation was made regarding the possibility of testing the multislit transverse- emittance diagnostic at 350 keV and low current, nominally 10 pC per bunch. Simulations indicate that the resulting emittance is in the measurable range of the device. Accordingly, we have begun making plans to install the device on the experimental beamline in conjunction with upgrading the gun in the ITS, and then test it during the last part of April.

As anticipated, we received the shipment of 13 beam viewers.

FEL Systems

Wiggler

Wiggler development continued on schedule.

Optics

Efforts proceeded toward a new design for the optical collimator. Fabrication of optical-cavity components included the camera mounts and the output Brewster window. Installation drawings for the optical-transport pipe on the ground floor are being modified to use the same coordinate system as the rest of the machine. The drawings for the near-Brewster-window assembly are complete and ready for signature.

The Aerotech linear stage for controlling the optical-cavity length was received this week.

Operations/Commissioning

Plans were documented for experiments to measure transverse-emittance growth from coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) in the bunch decompressor following the wiggler location, and in the first recirculation arc. As currently envisioned, the emittance measurements will involve quadrupole magnets and viewers at the wiggler location (with the wiggler removed), downstream of the bunch decompressor, and in the back leg (which has a multiplicity of measurement systems). Parametric investigations of the influence of bunch charge, bunch length, bunch momentum spread, transverse bunch size, and transverse emittance at entry to the bending systems are all envisioned. We anticipate being able to start taking CSR-related data around the turn of the calendar year.

A decision was made to retain the scraper in the first recirculation arc. It will localize the potential loss of particles with large energy offsets, as might be produced as a result of the lasing process in the wiggler. Likewise, it provides a nice diagnostic of the wings of the longitudinal phase space emanating from the wiggler, making it a valuable tool for FEL experiments. Specifications were established that permit the scraper to serve as an excellent energy-distribution and halo diagnostic, as well as in its nominal machine-protection role.

A series of sensitivity studies were done by way of numerical simulations as part of developing detailed specifications for the magnet measurements envisioned for the injection-line dipole magnets. The basic plan is to procure these magnets, measure them to now-specified accuracies, and then do follow-on computer modelling that incorporates measurement results to optimize the resultant electron-beam dynamics. There are no significant difficulties anticipated with this approach.

Facility

Framing of the upper level continued with the result on Friday (28 Feb) that the upper-level frame is complete in place. The roof decking was placed in the lobby area, and wall frames were started in two regions of the upper lobby. In the lower level, the high power electrical pulls were underway, as was touch up painting and cleanup in both the main room and the entrance labyrinth. The set of completed cryogenic transport lines were transferred to the Facility in preparation for the lengthy installation process. Schedules were reviewed in a monthly meeting with the contractor. The contractor admits to a 3-week schedule slip against the March 15 contractual BOD 2 (upper level). This was primarily caused by problems with one of their subcontractor's miscalculations on the framing. It now appears the upper level will not be fully dried in until the third week of April. The contractor was sent a "get-well" letter by Jefferson Laboratory contracts personnel reminding them of the $1500/day penalty against BOD 2. The delays in BOD will affect the equipment installation schedule upstairs, cause more work to occur in the summer, and press the availability of installation personnel to keep the schedule on track.