Grant: Subatomic Physics Envelope - Research Tools and Instruments

This proposal seeks funding to allow Canada to continue its contribution to the Advanced Wakefield Experiment (AWAKE) collaboration, a plasma wakefield acceleration experiment, driven by the proton beam from the CERN SPS synchrotron, the first of its kind world-wide. As existing large scale accelerators come closer to the limit both technologically and financially, the next generation of experiments probing ever finer structure of the universe must look for new schemes to produce particle beams, such as particle acceleration by induced wakefields in plasmas. The AWAKE collaboration, with test facilities taking shape at CERN, is unique among plasma wakefield acceleration projects in its selection of protons as driving particles. The collaboration formed in 2013 as a proof-of-principle experiment has already produced a wealth of results. Run 1 of the experiment yielded the discovery of Self-Modulation of the SPS proton bunch and acceleration of externally injected electrons. TRIUMF joined the AWAKE collaboration in 2014 and made its significant contribution to the success of the experiment. The experimental program resumed in 2021 with the Run 2 and will extend beyond 2028. The results of Run 2 will allow the AWAKE collaboration to contemplate first applications of the experimental scheme to high-energy physics. The required R&D activities and engineering design are currently underway to perform the tasks defined by the collaboration framework. Beam diagnostics plays an essential role in the AWAKE project. For the success of the experiment all three beams of proton, electron and laser, have to be in well-defined and controllable relations to each other in space and in time. One of the major problems encountered during Run 1 was the stability of the electron beam trajectory and its position relative to proton bunches. Electron position measurements in the presence of a two order of magnitude stronger signal from protons are extremely difficult. Presently the work is in progress to develop a novel position monitoring system operating in the microwave region to perform this task. While the monitor itself is designed by the CERN team, the high frequency signal processing electronics is expected to be developed by TRIUMF. Following the success of TRIUMF developed diagnostics for the Run 1, the collaboration requested the TRIUMF group to develop new beam position monitoring system for the Run 2. In this proposal we request funds to design and construct two data acquisition systems for microwave beam position monitors critical for further success of the AWAKE experiment ($40.6k) and to develop a prototype of new beam position electronics required for expanding the experiment to the Run 2 configuration ($21.7k). The proposal will support the existing SAP project which and will allow TRIUMF to continue fulfilling its obligations in the framework of the AWAKE collaboration.