[en] The CEBAF 4 GeV accelerator has recently begun delivering spin-polarized electrons for nuclear physics experiments. Spin-polarized electrons are emitted from a GaAs photocathode that is illuminated with pulsed laser light from a diode laser system synchronized to the injector chopping frequency (499 MHz). The present diode laser system is compact, reliable and relatively maintenance-free; however, output power is limited to less than 500 mW. In an effort to obtain higher average power and thereby prolong the effective operating lifetime of the source, they have constructed an injection modelocked Ti-sapphire laser with picosecond pulsewidths and gigahertz repetition rates. Modelocked operation is obtained through gain modulation within the Ti-sapphire crystal as a result of injection seeding with a gain-switched diode laser. Unlike conventional modelocked lasers, the pulse repetition rate of this laser can be discretely varied by setting the seed laser repetition rate equal to multiples of the Ti-sapphire laser cavity fundamental frequency. They observe pulse repetition rates from 223 MHz (fundamental) to 1,560 MHz (seventh harmonic) with average output power of 700 mW for all repetition rates. Pulsewidths ranged from 21 to 39 ps (FWHM) under various pump laser conditions

[en] Recent developments in high-speed analog technology have progressed into the areas of traditional rf technology. Diode-related devices are being replaced by analog IC's in the CEBAF rf control system. Complex phase modulators and attenuators have been successfully tested at 70 MHz. They have three advantages over existing technology: lower cost, less temperature sensitivity, and more linearity. Rf signal conditioning components and how to implement the new analog IC's will be covered in this paper. 4 refs., 5 figs

[en] The specified phase stability of the CEBAF RF distribution system is 2.9 degree rms per linac. Stability is achieved through the use of a temperature and pressure regulated coaxial drive line. Purpose of the fiber optic phase reference system is to monitor the relative phase at the beginning and ending of this drive line, between linacs, injector and separator to determine drift due to ambient temperature fluctuations. The system utilizes an Ortel 1310 nm single mode laser driving Sumitumo optical fiber to distribute a reference signal at 1497 MHz. Phase of this reference signal is compared to the 1427 MHz (LO) and the 70 MHz (IF) via a 360 degree phase detector. The detected information is then routed to the CEBAF control system for display with a specified resolution of ±0.2 degree over a 20 degree phase delta

[en] The CEBAF RF control system uses a heterodyne scheme to convert the cavity frequency of 1497 MHz down to a more manageable IF frequency of 70 MHz. At this IF frequency all the signal processing is done. Because of the tight system requirements of ±0.2 degree phase stability and ±2·10^-5 amplitude stability, CEBAF uses new technologies such as high speed analog circuits at 70 MHz. Major themes include components for signal processing in the control system and recent system performance tests. 6 refs., 6 figs

[en] The 6 GeV CEBAF accelerator at Jefferson Lab is arranged in a five-pass racetrack configuration, with two superconducting radio frequency (SRF) linacs joined by independent magnet transport arcs. It is planned to increase the accelerator energy to eventually support 12 GeV operations. To achieve this, a new 7-cell superconducting cavity is being built to operate at an average accelerating gradient of 12.5 MV/m with an external Q of 2.2 x 10⁷. The present RF system, composed of an analog control loop driving a 5 kW klystron, will not easily support the narrower bandwidth cavities at the higher gradients. A new RF control system that may incorporate digital feedback, driving an 8 kW klystron is being proposed. In designing a system it is important to understand the control limitations imposed by the cavity, such as microphonics, Lorentz force detuning and turn-on transients. This paper discusses these limitations and the resulting design constraints for new RF controls

[en] This paper describes the design and implementation of a beam loss accounting system for the CEBAF electron accelerator. This system samples the beam curent throughout the beam path and measures the beam current accurately. Personnel Safety and Machine Protection systems use this system to turn off the beam when hazardous beam losses occur

[en] The current CEBAF Master Oscillator (MO) uses a quartz-based 10 MHz reference to synthesize 70 MHz and 499 MHz, which are then distributed to each of the klystron galleries on site. Due to the specialized nature of CEBAF's MO requirements, it has been determined that an in-house design and fabrication would provide a cost-effective alternative to purchasing or modifying vendor equipment. A Global Positioning System (GPS) disciplined, Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) based MO is proposed which incorporates low-cost consumer RF components, designed for cellular communications. A 499 MHz Dielectric Resonant Oscillator (DRO) Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) is phase-locked to a GPS-disciplined 10 MHz reference, and micro-tuned via a DDS, in an effort to achieve the lowest phase noise possible

[en] A series of beam experiments is being planned in the Jefferson Lab FEL driver accelerator in order to study multi-pass beam breakup instabilities in the machine and to test the predictions of the numerical code TDBBU. The tests are extensions of previously performed or proposed experiments, and will be considerably more sensitive with the present configuration. The experiments will include: (a) observing the onset of instabilities by lowering the threshold current through manipulation of the beam energy, phase advance, and beam transfer matrices; (b) measurements of beam transfer functions in the recirculating mode; and (c) measurements of the single pass beam transfer functions to obtain direct measurements of the transverse shunt impedance of cavity modes with strong coupling to the beam. Simulations of the different experiments and studies of the sensitivities to the accelerator and beam parameters are presented

[en] CEBAF at JLab is in the process of an energy upgrade from 6 GeV to 12 GeV. The existing setup of the RF separator cavities in the 5th pass will not be adequate to extract the highest energy (11 GeV) beam to any two existing halls (A, B or C) while simultaneously delivering to the new hall D in the case of the proposed 12 GeV upgrade of the machine. To restore this capability, we are exploring the possibility of extension of existing normal conducting 499 MHz TEM-type rf separator cavities. Detailed numerical studies suggest that six 2-cell normal conducting structures meet the requirements; each 2-cell structure will require up to 4 kW RF input power in contrast with the current nominal operating power of 1.0 to 2.0 kW. A high power test of 4 kW confirms that the cavity meet the requirement.

[en] The CEBAF accelerator at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) successfully began its experimental nuclear physics program in November of 1995 and has since surpassed predicted machine availability. Part of this success can be attributed to using the EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) control system toolkit. The CEBAF control system is one of the largest accelerator control system now operating. It controls approximately 338 SRF cavities, 2,300 magnets, 500 beam position monitors and other accelerator devices, such as gun hardware and other beam monitoring devices. All told, the system must be able to access over 125,000 database records. The system has been well received by both operators and the hardware designers. The EPICS utilities have made the task of troubleshooting systems easier. The graphical and test-based creation tools have allowed operators to custom build control screens. In addition, the ability to integrate EPICS with other software packages, such as Tcl/Tk, has allowed physicists to quickly prototype high-level application programs, and to provide GUI front ends for command line driven tools. Specific examples of the control system applications are presented in the areas of energy and orbit control, cavity tuning and accelerator tune up diagnostics