Laboratory of electron beams

Short name: LEB

Parent structure unit:

Phone: +7 495 939 24 51

 

Laboratory of electron beams

Laboratory of electron beams (LEB) was organized in 1992 under the leadership of Sc.D., Professor Vasily Shvedunov. It is a part of the Department of Electromagnetic Proceses and Interaction of Atomic Nuclei (DEPIAN). The Laboratory is specialized in the development of accelerating complexes, based on classic methods of charged partciles acceleration and study new methods of acceleration.

The first SINP electron accelerator intended for the nuclear-physics studies was a betatrone with maximum energy of 35 MeV. It was designed and manufactured by Moscow transformator plant ("Elektrozavod") and put into operation in 1959. Over 200 scientific experiments which produced very important results concerning atomic nucleus structure were conducted on the betatrone during the following 25 years.

The Chief of DEPIAN Professor Boris Ishkhanov initiated the studies and development of electron accelerators in the Institute in 1982. It was necessary to develop an eectron accelerator of continuous operation providing precised beam at energy of up to 200 MeV and average current up to 100 mkA in order to obtain new results in the studies of interactions between lectronmagnetic radiation and atomic nuclei. Even by current standards development of such an accelerator is a very complicated scientific and technological problem, and in 1970-1980s this research was at the cutting adge of physics and technology of charged particles accelerators and was conducted simultaneously in a number of leading laboratories of the USA and Germany.

SINP scientists have chosen a scheme of normally conductive slot microtrone of continuous operation at the energy of 175 MeV and average beam current of 100 mkA. By 1992 the research team consisted of the scientists of the Department, students and post-graduates of MSU Department of Physics in cooperation with the leading scientific, educational and industrial centers of the USSR, such as Lebedev Physical Institute, Institute of Nuclear Research, Institute of High-Energy Physics, Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow Radio-Technical Institute, Joint Institute of Nuclear Research, Moscow Engeneering and Physical Institute, Saratov University, etc. have completed almost all operations necessary for assembling and start-upof the accelerator.

In 1992 an injector of the slot microtrone - linear accelerator of continuous operation at the energy of 6.7 MeV and average current of up to 1 mA was started up in SINP. Successful experiments on nuclear resonance fluorescence were conducted on this acceleration for the first time in Russia. These experiments demonstrated high quality of injector's beam and possibility to obtain here unique physical results.

A Laboratory of electron beams was organized basing of DEPIAN scientists after start up was completed. Experience obtained during the development of slot microtrone of continuous operation has determined a specific SINP "niche" in the field of physics and technology of accelerators.

In 1990s conditions of financing and support of scientific research in Russia changed and it changed the approaches to the further development of accelerators in the Deaprtment. Significant attention was paid to the development of the accelerators applicable not only for scientific research, but also for the industry, medicine and other applied fields. Along with cooperation with Russian scietific organizations the scietists of the Departments started collaboration with foreign scientific centers and scientists from the USA, Germany and other countries.

Intensive scientific research conducted in the Laboratory in 1992-2000 in the field of continuous operation of accelerating structures, beam's dynamics in such structures and their power systems resulted in the development of a unique prototype of a compact induxtrial accelerator at the energy of 1.2 MeV and average current of 50 mA. Basis pronciples of the accelerator are covered by US Patents.

At the same time the scientists of the Laboratory took an active role in the modernisation of a unique electron accelerator of continuous operation MAMI (Germany) and in the development of its forth stage - bilateral microtrone at the energy of 1.5 GeV/ Besides, the scientists of the Laboratory participated in the development of a project of slot microtrone of continuous operation at the Institute of accelerating systems (Greece).

During 1993-2002 an impulse slot microtrone at the energy of 70 MeV was developed in SINP MSU in cooperation with the scientists of Moscow Engineering and Physical Institute, Lebedev Physical Institute, Institute of Physical Problems, Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Institute of High-Energy Physics, Moscow Radio-Technical Institute, Saratov University, All-Russian Electrotechnical Institute and the US scientists. For the first time its design included big turning magnets with precised field on the basis of rare-earth magnetic material and accelerating structure with high-frequency quadrupole focusing. The turning magnets based on rare-earth magnetic material also provided a basis of the electron accelerator with high brightness of the beam - slot microtrone at the energy of 35 MeV developed at the same time.

Starting from 2002 the scietists of the Laboratory participate in the joint projects on development of electron accelerators intended for specific apllied problems. In particular, they developed a prototype of an impulse linear electron accelerator for radiation technologies at the energy of 10 MeV, a prototype of linear electron accelerator with pulse-by-pulse switching of the energy for inspection check-up complex, linear electron accelerator for radiography, impulse slot microtrone at the energy of 55 MeV for the system of explosive subtances detection.

Currently, within the frames of Cooperation Agreement with Polytechnical University of Catalonia (Spain) the scientists of the Laboratory deveop an impulse slot microtrone at the energy of 6-12 MeV for intrasurgery beam-therapy. Also they take part in the develpment of pre-production sample of a compact industrial linear electron accelerator of continuous operation at the energy of 1 MeV and beam power of 25 kW.

As a result of conducted research population of SINP's electron accelerators covers the energy ranges from 0.6 up to 70 MeV. The accelerators are widely used for the studies within the field of nuclear physics, radiation chemistry, medicine, development of radiation technologies for industry, testing of space systems elements.

Essential attention is paid for the studies and realisation of different methods of electron beam diagnostics, including those based on detection of secondary radiation, for instance, transition radiation, Cherenkov radiation.

Finally, the specific place is hold by the studies of new methods of charged particles acceleration and new methods of generation of X-radiation. Laser methods of acceleration based on new types of accelerating structures and directed on the attainment of accelerating gradient over 1 GeV/m are studied in the Laboratory. A possibility for development of a laser-electron generator of quasi-monochromatic X-radiation with tunable energy is analyzed in cooperation with the scientists from Lebedev Physical Institute.