A superconducting CW-LINAC for heavy ion acceleration at GSI

Abstract

Recently the Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC) serves as a powerful high duty factor (25%) heavy ion beam accelerator for the ambitious experiment program at GSI. Beam time availability for SHE (Super Heavy Element)-research will be decreased due to the limitation of the UNILAC providing Uranium beams with an extremely high peak current for FAIR simultaneously. To keep the GSI-SHE program competitive on a high level and even beyond, a standalone superconducting continuous wave (100% duty factor) LINAC in combination with the upgraded GSI High Charge State injector is envisaged. In preparation for this, the first LINAC section (financed by HIM and GSI) will be tested with beam in 2017, demonstrating the future experimental capabilities. Further on the construction of an extended cryo module comprising two shorter Crossbar-H cavities is foreseen to test until end of 2017. As a final R&D step towards an entire LINAC three advanced cryo modules, each comprising two CH cavities, should be built until 2019, serving for first user experiments at the Coulomb barrier.