The Synchrotron

Longitudinal Focusing
&
The Gamma Transition

Longitudinal Focusing
As

a particle beam is introduced into a

synchrotron and begins to circulate, the particles
in the beam gain and loss energy.
Longitudinal focusing is an intrinsic design of the
accelerator and works in such a way as to keep
the particles in the beam together.

Formulas That Apply

mass of the particle is represented by the equation, m = mo
where (gamma) = 1/ 1 v 2/c 2. v is the velocity of the particle and
m0 is its rest mass.
This is shown by the following formulas.
= (q/ mo ) (B/), and
r = (mo /q)(/B)v
According to the formula, r is directly proportional to and v. Since E=
mc2 & p = mc , an increase in yields an increase in the energy and
momentum of the particle.
The

When

charged particles accelerate, In order to remedy this situation, the

they radiate energy. As they do so, beam passes through a cavity with an
they deviate from the beam.
alternating voltage applied to it, called
Longitudinal focusing maintains a
an RF cavity. If the beam arrives in
well-defined energy spread of the
sync with the voltage drop across the
beam in a self-stabilizing manner.
cavity, it experiences a zero voltage
drop and continues on without any
Let us follow the path of a particle
in the beam with energy that is less change in energy.
However, if a particle has lost energy
than the reference energy of the
beam. If the particle continues on
it arrives in the RF cavity, at t = t0 - t,
this track, it will soon be out of sync because the angular frequency has
with the beam and will cause a
increased. The particle receives an
spread in the energy of the beam.
acceleration due to the positive voltage
drop. Refer to Figure 1 below.

Voltage vs time graph for RF Cavity

t0 - t

Figure 1

t0

t0 + t

The

particles energy is increased

and it arrives in sync with the beam
in the next turn or so. This process is
continuous as the particle continues
to gain and loose energy/momentum

If

the particles energy is much

greater than that of the beam, then
the angular frequency of the particle
decreases and it arrives in the RF
cavity at a time t = t0 + t. The
voltage is now in the negative phase
of its cycle and the particle
experiences deceleration. This
process continues until it arrives in
sync with the beam..

Gamma Transition
There is a dividing point along the energy spectrum
of the synchrotron. The behavior of the beam is
different in the regions above, at and below this
energy divide. See Figure 2 below.

Figure 2
Graph of Gamma Transition
E

>t
=t
<t
Energy of Beam vs Magnetic Field

Case1:<t
A beam of particles with energy

below t will behave in the

following way. If a particles
energy is higher than the
reference energy of the beam, its
frequency of revolution
decreases, and the particle
arrives in the RF cavity when the
reference voltage is negative,
at t = t0 -t.

It will experience a deceleration that

will slow it down and put it more in
phase with the bundle. Likewise if it is
traveling to slow with too little energy,
the particle will arrive in the RF cavity
later at, t =t0 +t,. It will experience an
acceleration and increase its energy
Refer to Figure 1 above

Case2:>t
In

this region, increases

with .

When

the beam operates in

this region, there is a 180
degree shift in the voltage
verse time graph. This gives
the opposite results of what
one would expect to happen
in the < t region.

In

the case of a beam that has

too much energy, its radius of
orbit increases and also its
speed/momentum; however, the
frequency of revolution increases
as well, unlike what happens to a
particle at < t,, and the particle
arrives at t = t0 -t, to complete
the cycle earlier. The RF curve is
now in the negative voltage cycle
and the particle experiences an
acceleration until it finds itself
once again in sync with the RF.

In

the case a beam that has too

little energy its radius of orbit
decreases as does its
speed/momentum; however, the
frequency of revolution decreases
as well, unlike what happens to a
particle at < t,, and the particle
arrives at t = t0 + t, arriving later
to complete the cycle.

The RF curve is now in the positive

voltage cycle and the particle
experiences a acceleration until it
finds itself once again in sync with
the RF.

Voltage vs time graph for RF Cavity- >t

t0 - t
Figure 3

t0

t0 + t

Case3:=t
There

is a point, called gamma

transition, t , where the particles
stop oscillating between less and
more energy. The particles
continues to orbit the synchrotron
but do not adjust for energy
differences to insure longitudinal
focusing. Thus the beams gradually
spreads in energy and becomes
more incoherent.

The

beam cannot stay in this region

at t. It must move above t into the
more relativistic region of operation
of the synchrotron in order to
produce particles with higher
energies. However the behavior of
the particles does not seem to be
continuous across the t...We know
that it is continuous and one has to
be very careful and closely monitor
the beam when moving across t..