The SPL at CERN

Abstract

The Superconducting Proton Linac (SPL) is a multi-GeV, multi-MW linear proton machine which represents a very interesting option for the future of CERN. Operating at 50 Hz, it will serve both as a high performance injector for the complex of high energy accelerators, replacing the present PS booster, and as a high power proton driver for other physics applications like the generation of muons and neutrinos and/or radioactive ions. The potential of the SPL is presently being scrutinized and compared to other alternatives. A path of evolution is considered, beginning with the realization of a 3 MeV test facility, followed by the building of the 160 MeV front end of the SPL and finishing with the construction of the complete linac. The status of these investigations and the progress towards the SPL are summarized in this paper.

Interim Design Report

“…In these linac-based scenarios, the beam time structure must be obtained with the help of charge-exchange injection into an accumulator ring followed by fast phase rotation in a dedicated compressor ring. Such a linac-based solution was adopted for the CERN Neutrino Factory scenario, which would be based on the proposed 5 GeV, high-power version of the Superconducting Proton Linac (SPL) [233], which can deliver 10 14 protons at the repetition rate of 50 Hz [234]. In the recent past, the Superconducting Proton Linac study evolved into an international collaboration whose aim is the optimisation of the architecture of a pulsed superconducting high-power proton linac.…”

Baseline scenario for SB PD, challenges and synergies with other programmes

“…The SPL parameters (Table 1 from Ref. [3]) has been designed from the start to comply with the Neutrino Factory specifications.…”

LHC challenges and upgrade options

“…In 2007 CERN has launched the implementation of the most urgent upgrade options within the 'White paper' initiative. The 'White paper' initiatives addresses three options: upgrade of the interaction regions (IRs), upgrade of the LHC injector complex [11] and consolidation. The IR upgrade has been divided into 2 sub phases: an initial phase aiming at larger operational margins and an efficient routine operation with ultimate beam parameters and β * = 0.25m (L = 2.5 10 34 cm -2 sec -1 ) and a second phase aiming at a 10 fold increase of the nominal LHC luminosity.…”