Magnesium Diboride Short Period Helical Undulator for the International Linear Collider Positron Source

This project will design and construct a short-period helical undulator for the International Linear Collider (ILC). An extensive technological research and development program will be initiated to manufacture and test several undulator prototypes wound with advanced superconducting strand. In the Phase I project, a model undulator was designed, fabricated with high-permeability steel poles, wound with insulated MgB2 wire, and tested in LHe. The Phase II undulator development will be based on the specifications of the ILC Design Reference Report. The Phase II project will continue with the development of the MgB2 helical undulator successfully demonstrated in Phase I, fabricating and testing several sub-size undulators wound with custom-optimized versions of the new Nb3Sn strands. In Year-1, up to four 0.25 m modules wound with several versions of MgB2 and Nb3Sn strand will be constructed and tested. In Year-2, at least two 1.0 m undulators with selected strands will be wound and tested. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Suitably modified versions of the helical undulator in association with electron synchrotrons and linacs (hence free-electron lasers) could provide high-energy photons for medical and materials science applications.