Commissioning of Fermilab's Electron Cooling System for 8-GeV Antiprotons

Abstract

A 4.3-MeV electron cooling system [1] has been installed at Fermilab in the Recycler antiproton storage ring and is currently being commissioned. The cooling system is designed to assist accumulation of 8.9-GeV/c antiprotons for the Tevatron collider operations. This paper reports on the progress of the electron beam commissioning effort as well as on detailed plans of demonstrating the cooling of antiprotons.

Attainment of Electron Beam Suitable for Medium Energy Electron Cooling

“…While the final match can be done by optimization of the cooling process, for the very first cooling one should rely on the knowledge of the absolute values of electron and antiproton energies. A scenario of the first cooling [30] proposes to fill the entire momentum aperture of the Recycler, which is 0.3 %, with antiprotons. To observe cooling, the energies of electron and antiproton beams must be matched within this value.…”

Beam-Based Calibration of the Electron Energy in the Fermilab Electron Cooler

“…A prototype of the actual REC was assembled and tested in the Wideband laboratory at Fermilab for R&D purpose [3]. Some parameters of the REC cooler and the prototype are listed in Table. [4] proposes to fill the entire momentum aperture of the Recycler, which is 0.3%, with antiprotons. To observe cooling, energies of electron and antiproton beams must be matched within this value.…”

Electron Beam Size Measurements in the Fermilab Electron Cooling System

“…The Fermilab electron cooling system [2] has recently provided cooling of the complex's antiproton beam in the Recycler. Typical electron currents have ranged between 50 -200 mA although the system is capable of supplying 500 -600 mA as antiproton intensities increase.…”