Superconducting cyclotron and its vacuum system

Abstract

A large superconducting cyclotron is under construction at this Centre and will be used to accelerate heavy ion beams to energy up to 80 MeV/A for light heavy ions and about 10 MeV/A for medium mass heavy ions. The vacuum system for this accelerator has several different aspects. The main acceleration chamber will be evacuated to a level of about 10−7 torr using both turbo molecular pumps and specially designed cryopanels. The surfaces exposed to this ‘vacuum’ are mostly made of OFE copper. The cryogenic transfer lines, to cool the cryopanels, are of several meters in length and they pass through RF resonators extending below the magnet. The cryostat that will house the superconducting coils has an annular vacuum chamber, which is evacuated to a level of approximately 10−5 torr using a turbo molecular pump. Cryopumping action starts once the coils are cooled to low temperatures. A differential pumping is provided below the RF liner that encloses the pole tip of the main magnet. The space that is pumped in this case contains epoxy-potted trim coils wound around the pole tips. Crucial interlocks are provided between the differential vacuum and the acceleration chamber vacuum to avoid distortion of the RF liner, which is made of thin copper sheets. The other important vacuum system provides thermal insulation for the liquid helium transfer lines. In this paper a brief description of the superconducting cyclotron will be given. Details of various vacuum aspects of the accelerator and the logistics of their operation will be presented. Introduction of some of the improved equipment now available and improved techniques are also discussed.