U.S. Particle Accelerator School
U.S. Particle Accelerator School
Education in Beam Physics and Accelerator Technology

Microwave Measurement and Beam Physics Laboratory course

Sponsoring University:

Vanderbilt University

Course:

Microwave Measurement and Beam Physics Laboratory

Instructors:

David McGinnis and Ralph Pasquinelli, Fermilab; Marcus Mendenhall and William Gabella, Vanderbilt University

This is a laboratory course in microwave and radio frequency measurement techniques for accelerator components and systems, and in electron beam physics especially as it relates to free-electron lasers. The student will learn to operate network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers and time domain reflectometers. Also, the basic principles of operation for these measurement systems will be explained and demonstrated. The student will perform a number of experiments that illustrate concepts such as S parameters, impedance, reflection, time domain gating, matching, power spectral density, and signal modulation. Students will also perform a number of other experiments that directly relate with RF accelerator systems such as stretched wire and bead-pull measurements. We will set up electron optics lattices in the beam physics laboratory and compare measured beam parameters to ones computed from available codes such as transport. Also, we will investigate the free electron laser (FEL) emission with changes in electron beam parameters and cavity optical parameters. The approach will combine formal lectures with hands-on experimentation. Prerequisites: some familiarity with electrical circuits and concepts.