Accelerator Handbook

Starting and Tuning Pulsed and Bunched Beam

1. Start up source and described in the Sputter Source or Duoplasmatron Source instructions.
2. With the low energy cup in, tune for maximum current using the inflection magnet, two einzel lenses, and the steerers 2X, and 2Y.
3. Set auxiliary width at maximum.
4. Turn on oscillator – beam current will drop.
5. Turn 2Y down – look for peak in pulsed beam (its easier to find the correct peak if the auxiliary width is large). You should normally expect to find the peak somewhere around 4.0 if you start from 5.0 . If you reduce 2Y (after a D.C. tune-up) , the first peak you see is the correct one.
6. Adjust 2X for maximum current for the maximum current. You usually need to adjust both 2Y and 2X together to find the maximum.
7. Change to f/2. Adjust the chopper phasing for maximum current. The beam current should drop by a factor of 2 if you are on the proper peak. For best current tune both the 2X and chopper phasing.
8. Adjust chopper phase for maximum current on the Output Meter.
9. Turn “chopper power” on.
10. Turn buncher on.
11. Bring amplifier plate to 1 keV for for deuteron or protons, 0.2-0.4 keV for He-3 and He-4, and 0.5-0.75 keV for Li-7.
12. Adjust buncher phase for maximum current.
13. Peak buncher output current with “buncher output” by cranking the tuning knob.
14. Get high energy end of the accelerator going.
15. Adjust low energy steerers to maximize the beam. Try to run the steerers as low as possible and avoid doglegs.
16. Adjust the “GRIDDED VOLTAGE TUBE LENS” to maximize the current. Note that this has a slow response time.
17. Get beam through the analyzing magnet following steps in the Machine Setup steps 11-13 above.
18. Make sure proper doors are closed, and target cooling, etc. are on and take the beam into the target area.
19. Adjust H.E. steering, quads, tweaking magnet, etc. to maximize beam current.
20. Examine beam pick-off repetition rate; if you have adjusted the chopper and buncher properly it should read 500,000 at f/1.
21. If you are using a gold foil:
    1. put the cup in, then
    2. put gold foil in, then
    3. take out cup.
    4. Look at TAC output.
    5. Adjust chopper phase, buncher phase and amplifier plate to obtain best time tune.
    6. put the cup in,
    7. take out gold foil
    8. take cup out.
22. Run time-tuned beam to target
23. Make final adjustments as necessary using detector timing if needed