New methods of particle collimation in colliders

The collimation system is an essential part of the design of any high-power accelerator. Its functions include protection of components from accidental and intentional energy deposition, reduction of backgrounds, and beam diagnostics. Conventional multi-stage systems based on scatterers and absorbers offer robust shielding and efficient collection of losses. Two complementary concepts have been proposed to address some of the limitations of conventional systems: channeling and volume reflection in bent crystals and collimation with hollow electron beams. The main focus of this paper is the hollow electron beam collimator, a novel concept based on the interaction of the circulating beam with a 5-keV, magnetically confined, pulsed hollow electron beam in a 2-m-long section of the ring. The electrons enclose the circulating beam, kicking halo particles transversely and leaving the beam core unperturbed. By acting as tunable diffusion enhancer and not as a hard aperture limitation, the hollow electron beam collimator extends conventional collimation systems beyond the intensity limits imposed by tolerable losses. The concept was tested experimentally at the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton collider. Results on the collimation of 980-GeV antiprotons are presented, together with prospects for the future.