Development of a digital low-level RF system for the STCF

Abstract

With the development of particle physics, higher requirements are put forward for the brightness and energy of the collider. A new collider — the Super Tau-Charm Facility (STCF) — is under study in China. To meet the high acquirement of the quality of the beam, a digital low-level RF (LLRF) system that achieves high stability plays a critical role as a part of the microwave system of Linacs. This paper introduces the design of a digital LLRF system that works in the S-band (2856 MHz) as required by Linacs of the STCF. The system architecture and hardware design as well as the control algorithms and software design are discussed and tested. The system includes a signal source, a frequency synthesis system and an IF signal processor. The phase noise of the signal source is as low as 20.3 fs, and the low-level IF signal processor adopts amplitude and phase control by a PI-type controller. They jointly realize ultra-low phase noise signal output. The table experiments show that the short-term amplitude and phase stability of the system is better than 0.01% and 0.01°, respectively. The beam experiments show that the closed-loop phase stability in the cavity is about 0.1°. The results prove that the LLRF system meets the requirement of the STCF.