arXiv subjects

P. Varghese

Publications and source records attributed to P. Varghese.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

LLRF System Analysis for the Fermilab PIP-II Superconducting LINAC

PIP-II is a superconducting linac that is in the initial acceleration chain for the Fermilab accelerator complex. The RF system consists of a warm front-end with an RFQ and buncher cavities along with 25 superconducting cryo-modules comprised of cavities with five different acceleration \(\beta\). The LLRF system for the linac has to provide field and resonance control for a total of 125 RF cavities. Various components of the LLRF system have been tested with and without beam at the PIP-II test stands. The LLRF system design is derived from the LCLS-II project with its self-excited loop architecture used in the majority of the cryo-modules. The PIP-II beam loading at 2 mA is much higher than the LCLS-II linac. The control system architecture is analyzed and evaluated for the operational limits of feedback gains and their ability to meet the project regulation requirements for cavity field amplitude and phase regulation.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2025

Testing the DAE LLRF system with a PIP-II SSR2 Cavity

The PIP-II linac is an international collaboration project with in kind contributions of key subsystems from multiple countries including India (DAE). In the research and development phase of the project, the LLRF and resonance control systems were jointly developed by BARC and Fermilab and were delivered to Fermilab for testing and validation. Initial testing of the LLRF system was carried out using Fermilabs analog cavity emulator. Following successful emulator testing, the LLRF system was deployed at STC on a PIP-II 325 MHz SSR2 cavity. The cavity was operated in both SEL and GDR modes at a gradient of 5 MV/m. The results of the testing are presented here.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2025

Compensating for Amplifier Non-Linearity in a SEL Controller

The Self-Excited Loop (SEL) architecture, used in some continuous-wave (CW) superconducting linacs, relies on a positive feedback mechanism that requires carefully defined operating limits to ensure stable operation. These limits are typically derived from amplifier calibration, which characterizes the relationship between forward power and DAC drive. However, amplifier non-linearity often prevents a simple linear fit of this characteristic, introducing errors that can compromise stability. To address this, we present a modified calibration procedure that incorporates amplifier non-linearity into the SEL framework. The approach is validated with test data from a 32 kW solid-state amplifier (SSA) and a cavity emulator developed for the Fermilab PIP-II linac.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2025

Master Oscillator and Phase Reference Line Design for the PIP-II Linac

The phase averaging reference line system provides the RF phase reference, LO and clock signals to the LLRF and other accelerator sub-systems. The PIP-II linac has RF systems at three frequencies - 162.5 MHz, 325 MHz and 650 MHz. A temperature-stabilized, low-phase-noise oscillator is used as the master oscillator. Phase reference signals at 162.5 MHz, 325 MHz, and 650 MHz, along with LO signals at 182.5 MHz, 345 MHz, 670 MHz and LLRF clocks at 1320 MHz and 1300 MHz, are generated in temperature-controlled RF modules at each frequency section. A phase reference from each module travels to the next section, where it is doubled to produce required frequencies. The reference also travels alongside the accelerating cavities in the tunnel, allowing cavity probe and reference cables to temperature track and reduce measurement errors from temperature changes or phase drift.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2024

Cold Test Results of Pre-Production PIP-II SSR2 Cavities with High-Power Couplers in the Fermilab Spoke Test Cryostat

As part of the PIP-II project at Fermilab, a pre-production cryomodule featuring 325 MHz Single Spoke Resonator type 2 (SSR2) superconducting RF cavities is under construction. These SSR2 cavities are fabricated by industry partners and undergo initial cold testing at our collaborating institution, IJCLab in France, utilizing low-power coupler. Subsequently, the cavities are subjected to final qualification at Fermilab, complete with tuner and high-power coupler assemblies. This paper provides an overview of the ongoing efforts dedicated to high-power testing of jacketed SSR2 cavities in the Spoke Test Cryostat (STC) at Fermilab. Performance parameters obtained from these tests are presented, offering valuable insights into the cavities operational characteristics and readiness for integration into the PIP-II cryomodule.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2024

Performance of PIP-II High-beta 650 Cryomodule After Transatlantic Shipping

After shipment to the Daresbury Lab and return to Fermilab, the prototype HB650 cryomodule underwent another phase of 2K RF testing to ascertain any performance issues that may have arisen from the transport of the cryomodule. While measurements taken at room temperature after the conclusion of shipment indicated that there were no negative impacts on cavity alignment, beamline vacuum, or cavity frequency, testing at 2K was required to validate other aspects such as tuner operation, cavity coupling, cryogenic system integrity, and cavity performance. Results of this latest round of limited 2K testing will be presented.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

LLRF System for the Fermilab PIP-II Superconducting LINAC

PIP-II is an 800 MEV superconducting linac that is in the initial acceleration chain for the Fermilab accelerator complex. The RF system consists of a warm front-end with an ion source, RFQ and buncher cavities along with 25 superconducting cryo-modules comprised of five different acceleration \(β\). The LLRF system for the LINAC has to provide field and resonance control for a total of 125 RF cavities.The LLRF system design is in the final design review phase and will enter the production phase next year. The PIP-II project is an international collaboration with various partner labs contributing subsystems. The LLRF system design for the PIP-II Linac is presented and the specification requirements and system performance in various stages of testing are described in this paper.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

Closed Loop Testing of Microphonics Algorithms Using a Cavity Emulator

An analog crystal filter based cavity emulator is modified with reverse biased varactor diodes to provide a tuning range of around 160 Hz. The piezo drive voltage of the resonance controller is used to detune the cavity through the bias voltage. A signal conditioning and summing circuit allows the introduction of microphonics disturbance from a signal source or using real microphonics data from cavity testing. This setup is used in closed loop with a cavity controller and resonance controller to study the effectiveness of resonance control algorithms suitable for superconducting cavities.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2018

Adaptive beam loading compensation in room temperature bunching cavities

In this paper we present the design, simulation, and proof of principle results of an optimization based adaptive feed-forward algorithm for beam-loading compensation in a high impedance room temperature cavity. We begin with an overview of prior developments in beam loading compensation. Then we discuss different techniques for adaptive beam loading compensation and why the use of Newton's Method is of interest for this application. This is followed by simulation and initial experimental results of this method.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2018

LLRF system for the Fermilab Muon g-2 and Mu2e projects

The Mu2e experiment measures the conversion rate of muons into electrons and the Muon g-2 experiment measures the muon magnetic moment. Both experiments require 53 MHz batches of 8 GeV protons to be re-bunched into 150 ns, 2.5 MHz pulses for extraction to the g-2 target for Muon g-2 and to a delivery ring with a single RF cavity running at 2.36 MHz for Mu2e. The LLRF system for both experiments is implemented in a SOC FPGA board integrated into the existing 53 MHz LLRF system in a VXI crate. The tight timing requirements, the large frequency difference and the non-harmonic relationship between the two RF systems provide unique challenges to the LLRF system design to achieve the required phase alignment specifications for beam formation, transfers and beam extinction between pulses. The new LLRF system design for both projects is described and the results of the initial beam commissioning tests for the Muon g-2 experiment are presented.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2018

Low Level RF Control for the PIP-II Accelerator

The PIP-II accelerator is a proposed upgrade to the Fermilab accelerator complex that will replace the existing, 400 MeV room temperature LINAC with an 800 MeV superconducting LINAC. Part of this upgrade includes a new injection scheme into the booster that levies tight requirements on the LLRF control system for the cavities. In this paper we discuss the challenges of the PIP-II accelerator and the present status of the LLRF system for this project.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2013

Test Results of Tesla-Style Cryomodules at Fermilab

Commissioning and operation of the first Tesla-style Cryomodule (CM-1) at Fermilab was concluded in recent months. A second Tesla Type III+ module, RFCA002, will be replacing it. CM-1 is the first 8-cavity ILC style cryomodule to be built at Fermilab and also the first accelerating cryomodule of the Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA). We report on the operating results of both of these cryomodules.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2013

The Six-Cavity Test - Demonstrated Acceleration of Beam with Multiple RF Cavities and a Single Klystron

The High Intensity Neutrino Source (HINS) Six-Cavity Test has demonstrated the use of high power RF vector modulators to control multiple RF cavities driven by a single high power klystron to accelerate a non-relativistic beam. Installation of 6 cavities in the existing HINS beamline has been completed and beam measurements have started. We present data showing the energy stability of the 7 mA proton beam accelerated through the six cavities from 2.5 MeV to 3.4 MeV.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2012

RF Test Results from Cryomodule 1 at the Fermilab SRF Beam Test Facility

Powered operation of Cryomodule 1 (CM-1) at the Fermilab SRF Beam Test Facility began in late 2010. Since then a series of tests first on the eight individual cavities and then the full cryomodule have been performed. We report on the results of these tests and lessons learned which will have an impact on future module testing at Fermilab.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2012

A vector control and data acquisition system for the multicavity LLRF system for cryomodule1 at Fermilab

A LLRF control and data acquisition system for the 8-cavity cryomodule1 at the ILCTA has been implemented using three 33-channel ADC boards in a VXI mainframe. One card each is dedicated to the cavity probes for vector control, forward power and reverse power measurements. The system is scalable to 24 cavities or more with the commissioning of cryomodules 2 and 3 without additional hardware. The signal processing and vector control of the cavities is implemented in an FPGA and a high speed data acquisition system with up to 100 channels which stores data in external SDRAM memory. The system supports both pulsed and CW modes with a pulse rate of 5 Hz. Acquired data is transferred between pulses to auxiliary systems such as the piezo controller through the VXI slot0 controller. The performance of the vector control system is evaluated and the design of the system is described.

physics.acc-ph↗