Technical Paper Abstract

Commissioning the 2.5-MeV RFD Linac Prototype

D.A. Swenson, F.W. Guy, W.J. Starling,

The experience of commissioning a 2.5-MeV "Proof-of-Principle" prototype of the new RFD linac structure will
be reported. This structure resembles a drift tube linac (DTL) with radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) focusing
incorporated into each drift tube, hence the name, Rf-Focused Drift tube (or RFD) Linac.

A prototype of this structure, comprising a 25-keV proton ion source, an Einzel-lens-based LEBT, a 0.65-m-long
RFQ linac to 0.8 MeV, and a 0.35-m-long RFD linac to 2.5 MeV, has been designed, fabricated, assembled, and
commissioned in our laboratory. Comparisons will be made between the projected and observed performance of
this structure. The effect of this new linac structure on the size, cost and complexity of linac-based systems
for practical applications will be described. Plans for the use of this new linac structure to satisfy several
scientific, industrial and medical applications will be outlined.