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R. P. Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to R. P. Johnson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

On operation and control of CW magnetrons for superconducting accelerators

CW magnetrons, developed for industrial RF heaters, were suggested to feed RF cavities of superconducting accelerators due to higher efficiency and lower cost of RF power than provide traditionally used klystrons, IOTs or solid-state amplifiers. RF amplifiers driven by a master oscillator serve as coherent RF sources. CW magnetrons are regenerative RF auto generators with a huge regenerative gain. This causes regenerative instability with a notable noise when a magnetron operates as an auto generator i.e., with the anode voltage above the threshold of self-excitation. Traditionally, an injection locking by a small signal is used for phase stabilization of magnetrons. In this case CW magnetrons with the injection-locked (coherent) oscillations generate a notable level of noise. This may preclude use of CW magnetrons in this mode in the Superconducting RF (SRF) accelerators. This paper reviews PIC modeling and previously obtained experimental results for the operation and control of CW magnetrons, which led to the development of techniques most suitable for various SRF accelerators using forced RF oscillation of magnetrons, when the magnetron is launched by an injected forcing signal, and regenerative noise is suppressed.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2024

On forced RF generation of CW magnetrons for SRF accelerators

CW magnetrons, initially developed for industrial RF heaters, were suggested to power RF cavities of superconducting accelerators due to their higher efficiency and lower cost than traditionally used klystrons, IOTs or solid-state amplifiers. RF amplifiers driven by a master oscillator serve as coherent RF sources. CW magnetrons are regenerative RF generators with a huge regenerative gain. This causes regenerative instability with a large noise when a magnetron operates with the anode voltage above the threshold of self-excitation. Traditionally for stabilization of magnetrons is used injection locking by a quite small signal. Then the magnetron except the injection locked oscillations may generate noise. This may preclude use of standard CW magnetrons in some SRF accelerators. Recently we developed briefly described below a mode for forced RF generation of CW magnetrons when the magnetron startup is provided by the injected forcing signal and the regenerative noise is suppressed. The mode is most suitable for powering high Q-factor SRF cavities.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2023

Searching for Prompt and Long-Lived Dark Photons in Electro-Produced $e^+e^-$ Pairs with the Heavy Photon Search Experiment at JLab

The Heavy Photon Search experiment (HPS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility searches for electro-produced dark photons. We report results from the 2016 Engineering Run consisting of 10608/nb of data for both the prompt and displaced vertex searches. A search for a prompt resonance in the $e^+e^-$ invariant mass distribution between 39 and 179 MeV showed no evidence of dark photons above the large QED background, limiting the coupling of ε^2 {\geq} 10^-5, in agreement with previous searches. The search for displaced vertices showed no evidence of excess signal over background in the masses between 60 and 150 MeV, but had insufficient luminosity to limit canonical heavy photon production. This is the first displaced vertex search result published by HPS. HPS has taken high-luminosity data runs in 2019 and 2021 that will explore new dark photon phase space.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2021

On the Phase Grouping Mechanism for a Magnetron Coherent Oscillation

CW magnetrons, developed for industrial heaters, but driven by an injection-locking signal were suggested to power Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities due to higher efficiency and lower cost of generated RF power per Watt than traditionally used RF sources (klystrons, IOTs, solid-state amplifiers). When the magnetrons are intended to feed Room Temperature (RT) cavities, the injected phase or frequency locking signal may provide required phase or frequency stability of the accelerating field. However, when the magnetron RF sources are intended to feed high Q-factor SRF cavities, the sources must be controlled in phase and power in a wide bandwidth to compensate parasitic phase and amplitude modulations caused by microphonics. In dependence on parameters of magnetron and the injection-locking signal one can choose regime most suitable for feeding SRF cavities, enabling magnetron almost coherent oscillation at the wide bandwidth of control. A novel approach considering magnetrons as quasi-coherent or coherent RF generators enables choosing the tube parameters and operation most suitable for various SRF accelerators.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2019

Stimulated Generation of Magnetrons powered below the Self-Excitation Threshold Voltage

Modern CW or pulsed superconducting accelerators of megawatts beams require efficient RF sources controllable in phase and power. It is desirable to have an individual RF power source with power up to hundreds of kW for each Superconductive RF (SRF) cavity. For pulsed accelerators the pulse duration in millisecond range is required. The efficiency of the traditional RF sources (klystrons, IOTs, solid-state amplifiers) in comparison to magnetrons is lower and the cost of unit of RF power is significantly higher. Typically, the cost of RF sources and their operation is a significant part of the total project cost and operation. The magnetron-based RF sources with a cost of power unit of 1-3 dollars per Watt would significantly reduce the capital and operation costs in comparison with the traditional RF sources. This arouses interest in magnetron RF sources for use in modern accelerators. A recently developed kinetic model describing the principle of magnetron operation and subsequent experiments resulted in an innovative technique producing the "stimulated" generation of magnetrons powered below the self-excitation threshold voltage. The magnetron operation in this regime is stable, low noise, controllable in phase and power, and provides higher efficiency than other types of RF power sources. It allows operation in CW and pulse modes (at large duty factor). For pulsed operation this technique does not require pulse modulators to form RF pulses. It also looks as a promising opportunity to extend magnetron life time. The developed technique, its experimental verification and a brief explanation of the kinetic model substantiating the technique are presented and discussed in this article.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2018

Operation and performance of microhexcavity pixel detector in gas discharge and avalanche mode

The Microhexcavity Panel ( muHex) is a novel gaseous micropattern particle detector comprised of a dense array of close-packed hexagonal pixels, each operating as an independent detection unit for ionizing radiation. It is a second generation detector derived from plasma panel detectors and microcavity detectors. The muHex is under development to be deployed as a scalable, fast timing (ns) and hermetically sealed gaseous tracking detector with high rate ( > 100 KHz/cm^2 ) capability. The devices reported here were fabricated as 16 x 16 pixel arrays of 2 mm edge-to-edge, 1 mm deep hexagonal cells embedded in a thin, 1.4 mm glass-ceramic wafer. Cell walls are metalized cathodes, connected to high voltage bus lines through conductive vias. Anodes are small, 457 micron diameter metal discs screen printed on the upper substrate. The detectors are filled with an operating gas to near 1 atm and then closed with a shut-off valve. They have been operated in both avalanche mode and gas discharge devices, producing mV to volt level signals with about 1 to 3 ns rise times. Operation in discharge mode is enabled by high impedance quench resistors on the high voltage bus at each pixel site. Results indicate that each individual pixel behaves as an isolated detection unit with high single pixel intrinsic efficiency to both beta's from radioactive sources and to cosmic ray muons. Continuous avalanche mode operation over several days at hit rates over 300 KHz/cm^2 with no gas flow have been observed. Measurements of pixel isolation, timing response, efficiency, hit rate and rate stability are reported.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2018

RF Positive Ion Source with Solenoidal Magnetic Field

A positive ion source with RF discharge in solenoidal magnetic field is described. In this paper we present an overview of positive ion production in saddle antenna (helicon discharge) radio frequency (SA RF) ion sources. The efficiency of H+ ion production in recently developed RF sources with solenoidal antennas was improved to 2.9 mA/kW. About 24 kW of RF power is typically needed for 70 mA beam current production from a 7 mm emission aperture. This efficiency is relatively low because in the RF discharge with a solenoidal antenna, the plasma is generated near the coil and diffuses to the axis creating a nearly uniform plasma density distribution in all cross sections of the discharge chamber, when the plasma flow is necessary only near an emission aperture. The efficiency of the extracted ion generation was improved significantly by using a saddle antenna with solenoidal magnetic field. In the RF discharge with the saddle antenna the plasma is generated near the axis and the magnetic field suppress the plasma diffusion from the axis, creating a peaked plasma density distribution on the emission aperture. With the SA the efficiency of positive ion generation in the plasma has been improved up to ~100 mA/cm2 per kW of RF power at 13.56 MHz. Continuous wave (CW) operation of the RF source has been tested on the small ORNL SNS test stand. The general design of the CW RF source is based on the pulsed version. A compact design of ion source is presented. Some modifications were made to improve the cooling and to simplify the design. Features of SA RF discharges and ion generation are discussed.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2018

Pressurized rf cavities in ionizing beams

A muon collider or Higgs factory requires significant reduction of the six dimensional emittance of the beam prior to acceleration. One method to accomplish this involves building a cooling channel using high pressure gas filled radio frequency cavities. The performance of such a cavity when subjected to an intense particle beam must be investigated before this technology can be validated. To this end, a high pressure gas filled radio frequency (rf) test cell was built and placed in a 400 MeV beam line from the Fermilab linac to study the plasma evolution and its effect on the cavity. Hydrogen, deuterium, helium and nitrogen gases were studied. Additionally, sulfur hexafluoride and dry air were used as dopants to aid in the removal of plasma electrons. Measurements were made using a variety of beam intensities, gas pressures, dopant concentrations, and cavity rf electric fields, both with and without a 3 T external solenoidal magnetic field. Energy dissipation per electron-ion pair, electron-ion recombination rates, ion-ion recombination rates, and electron attachment times to $SF_6$ and $O_2$ were measured.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2017

Results from a Prototype Proton-CT Head Scanner

We are exploring low-dose proton radiography and computed tomography (pCT) as techniques to improve the accuracy of proton treatment planning and to provide artifact-free images for verification and adaptive therapy at the time of treatment. Here we report on comprehensive beam test results with our prototype pCT head scanner. The detector system and data acquisition attain a sustained rate of more than a million protons individually measured per second, allowing a full CT scan to be completed in six minutes or less of beam time. In order to assess the performance of the scanner for proton radiography as well as computed tomography, we have performed numerous scans of phantoms at the Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center including a custom phantom designed to assess the spatial resolution, a phantom to assess the measurement of relative stopping power, and a dosimetry phantom. Some images, performance, and dosimetry results from those phantom scans are presented together with a description of the instrument, the data acquisition system, and the calibration methods.

physics.med-ph↗
arXiv2016

Storage-ring Electron Cooler for Relativistic Ion Beams

Application of electron cooling at ion energies above a few GeV has been limited due to reduction of electron cooling efficiency with energy and difficulty in producing and accelerating a high-current high-quality electron beam. A high-current storage-ring electron cooler offers a solution to both of these problems by maintaining high cooling beam quality through naturally-occurring synchrotron radiation damping of the electron beam. However, the range of ion energies where storage-ring electron cooling can be used has been limited by low electron beam damping rates at low ion energies and high equilibrium electron energy spread at high ion energies. This paper reports a development of a storage ring based cooler consisting of two sections with significantly different energies: the cooling and damping sections. The electron energy and other parameters in the cooling section are adjusted for optimum cooling of a stored ion beam. The beam parameters in the damping section are adjusted for optimum damping of the electron beam. The necessary energy difference is provided by an energy recovering SRF structure. A prototype linear optics of such storage-ring cooler and initial tracking simulations are presented and some potential issues such as coherent synchrotron radiation and beam break up are discussed.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2014

Single-Shot 60 dB Dynamic Range Laser Contrast Measurement Using Self-Referencing Spectral Interferometry

High dynamic range contrast measurement of laser pulses is typically obtained by cross-correlating the laser pulse with a self-generated reference laser pulse directly in the temporal domain. Alternatively, it is also possible to measure the spectral interferogram of the laser pulse with the references pulse in the spectral domain, from which the high dynamic range contrast measurement can be extracted using inverse Fourier-transformation. Here, we demonstrate single-shot 60 dB dynamic range laser contrast measurement by inverse Fourier-transforming the measured spectral interferogram into temporal domain. The result directly provides the cross-correlation of the laser pulse with the reference pulse provided there is enough time-delay imposed between the laser and reference pulses. Then method is cross-calibrated by measuring known pre-pulses along with scanning third-order auto-correlator measurements.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2014

Scaling of laser-driven ion energies in the relativistic transparent regime

Laser-driven ions have compelling properties and their potential use for medical applications has attracted a huge global interest. One of the major challenges of these applications is generating beams of the required energies. To date, there has been no systematic study of the effect of laser intensity on the generation of laser-driven ions from ultrathin foils during relativistic transparency. Here we present a scaling for ion energies with respect to the on-target laser intensity and in considering target thickness we find an optimum thickness closely related to the experimentally observed relativistic transparency. A steep linear scaling with the normalized laser amplitude a0 has been measured and verified with PIC simulations. In contrast to TNSA, this scaling is much steeper and has been measured for ions with Z > 1. Following our results, ion energies exceeding 100MeV/amu are already accessible with currently available laser systems enabling realization of numerous advanced applications

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2014

Numerical Studies of Optimization and Aberration Correction Methods for the Preliminary Demonstration of the Parametric Ionization Cooling (PIC) Principle in the Twin Helix Muon Cooling Channel

Muon colliders have been proposed for the next generation of particle accelerators that study high-energy physics at the energy and intensity frontiers. In this paper we study a possible implementation of muon ionization cooling, Parametric-resonance Ionization Cooling (PIC), in the twin helix channel. The resonant cooling method of PIC offers the potential to reduce emittance beyond that achievable with ionization cooling with ordinary magnetic focusing. We examine optimization of a variety of parameters, study the nonlinear dynamics in the twin helix channel and consider possible methods of aberration correction.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2013

High Temperature Superconducting Magnets for Efficient Low Energy Beam Transport Systems

Modern ion accelerators and ion implantation systems need very short, highly versatile, Low Energy Beam Transport (LEBT) systems. The need for reliable and continuous operation requires LEBT designs to be simple and robust. The energy efficiency of available high temperature superconductors (HTS), with efficient and simple cryocooler refrigeration, is an additional attraction. Innovative, compact LEBT systems based on solenoids designed and built with high-temperature superconductor will be developed using computer models and prototyped. The parameters will be chosen to make this type of LEBT useful in a variety of ion accelerators, ion implantation systems, cancer therapy synchrotrons, and research accelerators, including the ORNL SNS. The benefits of solenoids made with HTS will be evaluated with analytical and numerical calculations for a two-solenoid configuration, as will be used in the SNS prototype LEBT that will replace the electrostatic one at SNS, and a single solenoid configuration, as was proposed for the Fermilab proton driver that will be most applicable to ion implantation applications.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2013

Conditioning and Future Plans for a Multi-purpose 805 MHz Pillbox Cavity for Muon Acceleration

An 805 MHz RF pillbox cavity has been designed and constructed to investigate potential muon beam acceleration and cooling techniques for a Muon Collider or Neutrino Factory. The cavity can operate in vacuum or under pressure to 100 atmospheres, at room temperature or in a liquid nitrogen bath at 77 K. The cavity has been designed for easy assembly and disassembly with bolted construction using aluminum seals. To perform vacuum and high pressure breakdown studies of materials and geometries most suitable for the collider or factory, the surfaces of the end walls of the cavity can be replaced with different materials such as copper, aluminum, beryllium, or molybdenum, and with different geometries such as shaped windows or grid structures. The cavity has been designed to fit inside the 5-Tesla solenoid in the MuCool Test Area at Fermilab. In this paper we present the vacuum conditioning results and discuss plans for testing in a 5-Tesla magnetic field. Additionally, we discuss the testing plan for beryllium (a material research has shown to be ideal for the collider or factory) end walls.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2012

Mu2e Conceptual Design Report

Mu2e at Fermilab will search for charged lepton flavor violation via the coherent conversion process mu- N --> e- N with a sensitivity approximately four orders of magnitude better than the current world's best limits for this process. The experiment's sensitivity offers discovery potential over a wide array of new physics models and probes mass scales well beyond the reach of the LHC. We describe herein the conceptual design of the proposed Mu2e experiment. This document was created in partial fulfillment of the requirements necessary to obtain DOE CD-1 approval, which was granted July 11, 2012.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2012

Demonstration of an optical mixing technique to drive Kinetic Electrostatic Electron Nonlinear waves in laser produced plasmas

A nitrogen gas Raman cell system has been constructed to shift a 70 J 527 nm laser beam to 600 nm with 20 J of energy. The 600 nm probe and a 200J, 527 nm pump beam were optically mixed in a laser produced (gas jet) plasma. The beating of the two laser beams formed a ponderomotive force that can drive Kinetic Electrostatic Electron Nonlinear (KEEN) waves discovered in Vlasov-Poisson simulations by Afeyan et al [1,2]. KEEN waves were detected in these experiments where traditional plasma theory would declare there to be a spectral gap (ie no linear waves possible). The detection was done using Thomson scattering with probe wavelengths of both 351 nm and 263.5 nm.

physics.plasm-ph↗