Energy Recovery Linacs as Synchrotron Radiation Sources

Sol M. Grunera,d,f, Don Bilderbacka,b, Ivan Bazarova,c, Ken Finkelsteina, Geoff Kraffte, Lia Mermingae, Hasan Padamseec,d, Qun Shena,g, Charles Sinclaire, and Maury Tignerc,d

Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source

Practically all synchrotron x-ray sources to date are based on the use of storage rings to produce the high current electron (or positron) beams needed for synchrotron radiation (SR). The ultimate limitations on the quality of the electron beam, which are directly reflected in many of the most important characteristics of the SR beams arise from the physics of equilibrium processes fundamental to the operation of storage rings. It is possible to produce electron beams with superior characteristics for SR via photoinjector electron sources and high energy linacs; however, the energy consumption of such machines is prohibitive. This limitation can be overcome by the use of an Energy Recovery Linac (ERL), which involves configuring the electron beam path so as to use a superconducting linac as a de-accelerator of the electron beam after SR production, thereby recovering the beam energy for acceleration of new electrons. ERLs have the potential to produce SR beams with brilliance, coherence, time structure, and source size and shape which are superior to even the best 3rd generation storage ring sources, while maintaining flexible machine operation and competitive costs. Here, we describe a project to produce an ERL SR source at Cornell University, with emphasis on the characteristics, promise, and challenges of an ERL machine.

This work is supported by NSF award DMR 9713424, Cornell University, and DOE contract DE-AC05-84ER40150.

a: Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
b: Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
c: Laboratory for Nuclear Studies, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
d: Department of Physics, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
e: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
f: Laboratory of Solid State and Atomic Physics, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
g: Dept. of Materials Sci. and Engineering, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

Submitted by: Sol M. Gruner E-mail: smg26@cornell.edu FAX: 607-255-8751