Design and Manufacture of Tunable Permanent Magnet Based Quadrupole for Next Generation Electron-ion Colliders

This Small Business Innovation Research project proposes the design, construction and testing of a tunable focusing quadrupole and defocusing permanent magnet system for particle accelerators. The main application of the proposed system will be the new concept electron accelerator proposed to be constructed for electron ion collision research. The new concept is a non-scaling Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (NS-FFAG) accelerator, and the use of the permanent magnets instead of electromagnets will drastically reduce the cost of building the accelerator, the operational costs, and allow for a more compact design. Phase I part of the Fast–Track project will be focused on the magnetic design optimization, mechanical stress and cost analysis of a doublet cell consisting of a focusing quadrupole and defocusing magnet. Based on the results from Phase I effort and down-selection of the most optimum design, the full scale prototype of the cell will be constructed during Phase II, with a rigorous feedback process between the magnetic field strength test data, the field gradient mapping and subsequent design changes in order to reach the desired magnetic field and dimensional parameters. After testing of full scale prototype, a series of cells will be constructed, to test the possible field interactions between them. Non-scaling Fixed Field Alternating Gradient accelerators have the potential to bring a paradigm change in accelerator technology, replacing both cyclotrons and synchrotrons for many existing applications in science, and allowing the development of applications in completely new areas. Due to the compact design and low cost enabled by the permanent magnet based system, these potential applications include: X-ray sources, industrial high power Free Electron Laser as a source for EUV lithography, detection of special nuclear materials, astrophysical measurements, important physics experiments including dark matter and dark energy searches. Similar NS- FFAG systems could be also used for hadron therapy in cancer treatment. This Small Business Innovation Research Fast-Track project is to design, construct and test a focusing quadrupole and defocusing permanent magnet system for a new particle accelerator concept. The technology will result in a drastic manufacturing and operational cost reduction, with cutting-edge applications in science, industry, cancer therapy and more.