An Active Microphonics Control System

65041 Microphonic excitation in SRF structures has long been identified as a serious issue for facilities such as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator (CEBAF) at Jefferson Laboratory and the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA). Microphonics occur when external forces from mechanical, electrical, or cryogenic systems can become coupled to the RF acceleration structure producing mechanical vibrations in the cavities. This vibration causes a shift in the resonant frequency making them less effective in delivering the desired particle acceleration. Energen, Inc. proposes to develop an active microphonics damping system based on magnetic ¿smart¿ material actuators and high speed digital signal processing. These actuators are designed to operate efficiently at cryogenic temperatures. In Phase I, Energen, Inc. will develop a prototype actuator, measure its performance characteristics and sensitivity, and develop a conceptual design for a control system. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by awardee: Active vibration control is a serious problem in a wide range of applications. The low frequency and high amplitude damping capability that will be developed under this program will be valuable for semiconductor processing equipment and other sensitive instrumentation such as electron or tunneling microscopes, etc