Speaker
Description
The SPARC_LAB facility at LNF includes a high-brightness electron linac dedicated to plasma acceleration studies and R&D. Given the stringent stability requirements on electromagnetic fields, especially for particle-driven plasma acceleration, several upgrades have been implemented over the past two years to enhance RF stability and measurement accuracy. In 2024, the low-level RF system was completely refurbished, replacing the original analog systems with digital ones featuring temperature-stabilized front ends and arbitrary pulse shaping capabilities. Additionally, the intra-pulse phase feedback, originally commissioned in 2008 for the S-band klystrons, was upgraded. A new RF design, along with improved error amplifiers and signal acquisition electronics, was deployed and first tested on the machine in Fall 2024. Comprehensive short- and long-term measurements performed at SPARC_LAB confirm the system's ability to reliably and reproducibly reduce S-band klystron phase jitter down to 15 fs rms. The obtained results are now very close to the 10 fs limit demanded by plasma acceleration and represent a promising step toward meeting the requirements of future accelerator facilities.
| Abstract Category | System and Operation |
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