Center for Accelerator Science
The Center for Accelerator Science in the Physics Department at Old Dominion University was established in partnership with Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in order to meet the nation's need for scientists who will advance the sciences and technologies of particle accelerators and light sources for use in basic science, applied science and industry. The Center offers a spectrum of research opportunities for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in accelerator sciences and technologies. The students have access to state-of-the-art facilities at both ODU and Jefferson Lab.
Research fields
- superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerating structures
- materials for future superconducting cavities
- novel accelerator designs such as energy-recovery linacs (ERLs) , Muon colliders and Electron Ion Colliders (ELICs)
- high-current (hundreds of mA), high-polarization (>90%) electron guns
- light sources, including free-electron lasers (FELs) and synchrotrons
- simulation and visualization tools for the design and operation of accelerators
- diagnostic techniques for studying beam properties
- accelerator related mechanical, electrical and control systems engineering
Old Dominion University
The center is located in the Center for Accelerator Science (CAS) building at 1026 W. 47th Street, Norfolk, VA 23529. The faculty has office and ample laboratory space for research activities..
Jefferson Lab's Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility
The CEBAF accelerator is the world's largest installation of superconducting cavities for particle acceleration. In a racetrack shape nearly a mile around, the underground accelerator consists of two linacs (linear accelerators) through which an electron beam is recirculated up to five times before delivery to any of three experimental halls. Experiments can receive beams from different passes, making it possible to run simultaneous experiments at different energies. The high intensity (up to 200 mA) and high polarization (> 80%) of the electron gun enable unprecedented study of spin physics. The accelerator will be upgraded to 12 GeV extending its research capabilities still further.
 Cryomodules in the Accelerator |
 Large grain Niobium Cavity |
 Schematic of CEBAF Accelerator, 12 GeV upgrade and ELIC concept |
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Research Facilities for SRF Accelerator Science and Technology
Jefferson Lab has some of the best facilities available anywhere for conducting research in superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) structures. The vertical test area (VTA) with eight dewars, six of them RF-equipped, is one of the finest in the world for testing SRF cavities.
Vertical test area - Closed chemistry and high-pressure rinse
cabinets in the clean room
The materials science laboratory contains a scanning electron microscope, a scanning field emission microscope, a transmission electron microscope, a secondary ion mass spectroscope, and a scanning Auger microscope. Clean rooms are available for cavity work and for sample preparation. Also available are excellent machine shops and an electron beam welder. Research fields include materials and materiaI processing for cavities, development of SRF guns and superstructures.
Secondary ion mass spectroscope - Scanning electron microscope
High Intensity Electron Sources
Jefferson Lab's Polarized Electron Source Group develops state-of-the-art photoemission cathodes for generating highly polarized electrons for nuclear physics research. The source laboratory has a test cave and equipment for developing the lasers and the controls. The research interests include source development for ELIC and the International Linear Collider. The group is also developing a positron source.
Load lock electron gun delivers independent beams to CEBAF's three experimental halls
Beam physics and Beam diagnostics
The Beam Physics Group is actively engaged in designing The 12 GeV upgrade of the accelerator, future accelerators such as the Electron Ion Collider, and Muon Collider. The Group has access to the multiprocessor cluster at Jefferson Lab for CPU intensive simulations. In addition, the group develops novel diagnostic techniques for beam property measurements.
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Halo simulation using processorfarm Beam in Hall C after 5 passes -128 cpus, 50 minutes, 2 million particles |
6-D cooling: Helical cooling channel (red) simulation for muon cooling |
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Beam Size Measurement: Optical Diffraction Radiation Image formed when electron beam passes by a metal edge |
Ray Trace: Beam Visualization Tool One use is to show deviations from design optics |
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