Development of Novel Non-Destructive Electron Beam Instrumentation for High-Repetition Rates and High-Powered Beams

Accelerators for light sources that employ high-brightness beams, require non-destructive and non-interceptive diagnostics for machine commissioning, tuning, optimization and feedback. Typical diagnostics based on solid materials or reflectors will not withstand the impact of intense beams, and pose a potential for spray radiation damage. In this proposal, we investigate the use of a tailored gas sheet distribution to supplant traditional metal foils for beam profile characterization. As the electron beam interacts with the gas sheet, ionization products are generated, and transported via an electrostatic column, to an imaging detector. The ion distribution at the detector has a direct correlation to the transverse profile in the particle beam, thus enabling a non-degradable and low radiation footprint diagnostic tool for high intensity beams. The diagnostic is modular and scalable to different beam species and energy at many facilities. The Phase I efforts are focused on realizing a gas-sheet monitor that includes imaging optics for spatial characterization and an ionization monitor for temporal characterization. The efforts include optimization of the system for compactness, and engineering and key custom subcomponents such as the interaction chamber, the gas shaping nozzles, the electrostatic column, and the gas evacuation section. The end result will be a design of a prototype diagnostic that can be deployed at the accelerator facility. The results of these efforts can provide immediate benefits for accelerators for light sources, and high-energy physics that require high-resolution characterization of beams in a non-invasive manner. The design is flexible and will find use in many different electron and ion research facilities, as well as in high throughput industrial applications.