LBNL, Berkeley, California, USA
A new broadband Dee voltage regulator was designed and built for the 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The previous regulator was obsolete, consequently, it was difficult to troubleshoot and repair. Additionally, during operation, it displayed problems of distortion and stability at certain frequencies. The new regulator uses off-the-shelf components that can detect and disable the RF during sparking events, protecting the RF driver system. Furthermore, it improves the tuning of the cyclotron and allows consistency in operation.
LBNL, Berkeley, California, USA
The fully superconducting electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source VENUS is one of the world’s two highest-performing ECR ion sources, and a copy of this source will soon be used to produce ion beams at FRIB. The tuning and optimization of ECR ion sources is time consuming, and there are few detailed theoretical models to guide this work. To aid in this process, we are working toward utilizing machine learning to both efficiently optimize VENUS and reliably maintain its stability for long campaigns. We have created a Python library to interface with the programmable logic controller (PLC) in order to operate VENUS and collect and store source and beam data. We will discuss the design and safety considerations that went into creating this library, the implementation of the library, and some of the capabilities it enables.
LBNL, Berkeley, California, USA
The 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a sector-focused cyclotron that has light- and heavy-ion capabilities and supports a local research program in Nuclear Science and is the home of the Berkeley Accelerator Space Effects Facility, which studies effects of radiation on microelectronics, optics, materials, and cells. The cyclotron utilizes several vacuum electron devices (VEDs) in different systems, mainly to convey plasma heating, high power RF generation, and high-voltage and current DC power generation. VEDs have been proven reliable, robust, and radiation resistant. They also have wide range, good response against transients, and stable operation with load mismatch during system tuning, instabilities, or breakdowns. The paper will describe applications of these devices in the 88-Inch Cyclotron