Stability study of intense hadron bunches in linear accelerators using a Paul ion trap

Abstract

The collective behavior of an ion cloud confined in a linear Paul trap is physically almost equivalent to that of a relativistic beam traveling in a particle accelerator. This fact provides a new possibility for experimental beam-dynamics studies that can be done without relying on large-scale machines. We have constructed a compact ion trap to explore various accelerator-physics issues in a local tabletop environment. The present trap system is designed particularly for the study of high-intensity short hadron bunches typical in linear accelerators. Resonance-induced ion losses are measured and plotted as a function of the betatron and synchrotron phase advances over a wide range, which offers a piece of indisputable experimental evidence for the presence of various betatron and synchrobetatron resonance stop bands. We confirm that these instability bands shift in the stability map depending on the ion density. The recently proposed stop-band diagram, free from the conventional concept of incoherent tune spread, is employed to explain the experimental observations.