Mechanical Features of the ATS RFQ Linear Accelerator

A radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator has been constructed and placed in operation on the Los Alamos National Laboratory accelerator test stand (ATS). This accelerator uses an evacuated rf manifold to distribute rf excitation from the 425-MHz rf power supply to the slot-coupled, RFQ vane-cavity, resonator assembly. The RFQ vanes are supported on commercially available copper-plated, linear, resilient "C-seals" to provide a high-conductivity rf contact that permits aligning and positioning the vanes during tuning, and demounting the vanes for evaluation and modification as necessary. All rf structures are fabricated from stress-relieved, bright-acid copperplated carbon steel. Measurements made on the accelerator as assembled have demonstrated >8000 vane-cavity Q at the quadrupole's ~423.400-MHz accelerating-mode frequency. Operating manifold vacuum of 3-6 × 10-8 torr has been observed after rf conditioning; conditioning required 150 h for stable high-power rf operation. Experience to date has indicated the desirability of modifying the vane rf-contact seat configuration to improve assembly and alignment procedures, improving vane-machining processes to increase vane straightness, installing periodic vane-shorting rings to minimize the effect of dipole modes in the quadrupole accelerating structure, and modifying the waveguide-coupling slot in the manifold to improve forward rf power flow.