Beam and spin dynamics in the fast ramping storage ring ELSA: Concepts and measures to increase beam energy, current and polarization

• Main Authors: Hillert Wolfgang, Balling Andreas, Boldt Oliver, Dieckmann Andreas, Eberhardt Maren, Frommberger Frank, Heiliger Dominik, Heurich Nikolas, Koop Rebecca, Klarner Fabian, Preisner Oliver, Proft Dennis, Pusch Thorsten, Roth André, Sauerland Dennis, Schedler Manuel, Schmidt Jan Felix, Switka Michael, Thiry Jens-Peter, Wittschen Jürgen, Zander Sven
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2017-01-01
• Series: EPJ Web of Conferences
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201713405002

The electron accelerator facility ELSA has been operated for almost 30 years serving nuclear physics experiments investigating the sub-nuclear structure of matter. Within the 12 years funding period of the collaborative research center SFB/TR 16, linearly and circularly polarized photon beams with energies up to more than 3 GeV were successfully delivered to photoproduction experiments. In order to fulfill the increasing demands on beam polarization and intensity, a comprehensive research and upgrade program has been carried out. Beam and spin dynamics have been studied theoretically and experimentally, and sophisticated new devices have been developed and installed. The improvements led to a significant increase of the available beam polarization and intensity. A further increase of beam energy seems feasible with the implementation of superconducting cavities.