TY - JOUR
T1 - Particle Accelerator Focus Automation
AU - Lopes, José
AU - Rocha, Jorge
AU - Redondo, Luís
AU - Cruz, João
N1 - Sem PDF.
PY - 2017/8/1
Y1 - 2017/8/1
N2 - The Laboratório de Aceleradores e Tecnologias de Radiacaõ (LATR) at the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) has a horizontal electrostatic particle accelerator based on the Van de Graaff machine which is used for research in the area of material characterization. This machine produces alfa (He+) and proton (H+) beams of some μA currents up to 2 MeV/q energies. Beam focusing is obtained using a cylindrical lens of the Einzel type, assembled near the high voltage terminal. This paper describes the developed system that automatically focuses the ion beam, using a personal computer running the LabVIEW software, a multifunction input/output board and signal conditioning circuits. The focusing procedure consists of a scanning method to find the lens bias voltage which maximizes the beam current measured on a beam stopper target, which is used as feedback for the scanning cycle. This system, as part of a wider start up and shut down automation system built for this particle accelerator, brings great advantages to the operation of the accelerator by turning it faster and easier to operate, requiring less human presence, and adding the possibility of total remote control in safe conditions.
AB - The Laboratório de Aceleradores e Tecnologias de Radiacaõ (LATR) at the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) has a horizontal electrostatic particle accelerator based on the Van de Graaff machine which is used for research in the area of material characterization. This machine produces alfa (He+) and proton (H+) beams of some μA currents up to 2 MeV/q energies. Beam focusing is obtained using a cylindrical lens of the Einzel type, assembled near the high voltage terminal. This paper describes the developed system that automatically focuses the ion beam, using a personal computer running the LabVIEW software, a multifunction input/output board and signal conditioning circuits. The focusing procedure consists of a scanning method to find the lens bias voltage which maximizes the beam current measured on a beam stopper target, which is used as feedback for the scanning cycle. This system, as part of a wider start up and shut down automation system built for this particle accelerator, brings great advantages to the operation of the accelerator by turning it faster and easier to operate, requiring less human presence, and adding the possibility of total remote control in safe conditions.
KW - beam focus
KW - ion source
KW - LabVIEW
KW - Particle accelerator
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029602183&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/msr-2017-0024
DO - 10.1515/msr-2017-0024
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85029602183
VL - 17
SP - 208
EP - 212
JO - Measurement Science Review
JF - Measurement Science Review
SN - 1335-8871
IS - 4
ER -