Radio-Frequency (RF) Systems

Understand

Radio-frequency (RF) systems deliver the power to change the energy of a charged particle beam, and they are integral parts of linear and circular accelerators.

• A longitudinal electrical field in the direction of the beam is generated in a resonant structure, the RF cavity.
• As it directly interacts with the bunches of charged particles, the cavity can be considered as a coupler to transport energy from an RF power power amplifier to the beam.
• The power amplifier itself is driven by a low-level RF system assuring that frequency and phase are suitable for acceleration, and feedback loops improve the longitudinal beam stability.