Simulating quasi-integrable optics with space charge in the IBEX Paul trap

Abstract

The intensity frontier has called for new initiatives in hadron accelerator design in order to accommodate space charge dominated beams. Octupoles are often used to damp beam instabilities caused by space charge, however the insertion of octupole magnets leads to a nonintegrable lattice which reduces the area of stable particle motion. One proposed solution is Quasi-Integrable optics (QIO), where the octupoles are inserted between sections of a specific lattice insertion called a T-insert. An octupole with a strength that scales as 1/β 3(s) is applied in the drift region, where the horizontal and vertical beta functions are equal, to create a time independent octupole field. This leads to a lattice with a time-independent Hamiltonian which is robust to small perturbations. IBEX is a Paul trap which allows the transverse dynamics of a collection of trapped particles to be studied, mimicking the propagation through multiple quadrupole lattice periods, whilst remaining stationary in the laboratory frame. In order to test QIO at the IBEX experiment, it has recently undergone an upgrade to allow for the creation of octupole fields. We present our design of the IBEX experiment upgrade along with simulation results of our proposed experiment to test QIO with space charge.