Linear bunchers and half-frequency bunching method

A new buncher system consisting of two bunchers has been designed and constructed for HIRFL injector cyclotron, working at the SFC acceleration modes of H = 1 and H = 3, respectively. The bunchers use saw-tooth RF waveform, but with double-gap drift tube electrodes and single-gap grid electrodes, respectively. The special merit of the design is introduction of the half-frequency bunching mode, utilizing half of the cyclotron RF frequency. With this method, a perfect longitudinal match between the injector SFC and the main cyclotron SSC has been reached theoretically, compared to the original efficiency of 50% for most cases. Detailed studies have been made concerning space charge effects, longitudinal dispersions through the yoke hole and the spiral inflector, and non-linearity in both the RF waveform and the stray electric field of electrodes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.