Specification and design for full energy beam exploitation of the compact linear accelerator for research and applications

Abstract

The compact linear accelerator for research and applications (CLARA) is a 250 MeV ultrabright electron beam test facility at STFC Daresbury Laboratory. A user beamline has been designed to maximize the exploitation of CLARA in a variety of fields, including novel acceleration and new modalities of radiotherapy. In this paper, we present the specification and design of this beamline for full energy beam exploitation. We outline the key elements that will provide users access to ultrashort, low emittance electron bunches in two large experiment chambers. The results of start-to-end simulations are reported that verify the expected beam parameters delivered to these chambers. Key technical systems are detailed, including those which facilitate a combination of electron bunches with high-power laser pulses. Published by the American Physical Society 2024