Modulated double-helix quadrupole magnets

We describe a new technology for superconducting quadrupole magnets especially for use in particle accelerators. The principle is based on the application of a sinusoidal modulation to the axial positions of the conductor windings in solenoids. The method can also be employed to produce higher-order multipole fields. Due to their solenoid-like geometry, these coils are significantly simpler to manufacture than standard (racetrack) cosine-2-theta coils and have significantly smaller systematic field errors without using any field-shaping spacers. When two complementary coil layers (with opposite current flow) are combined, the solenoid components of the fields are cancelled and the quadrupole or higherorder fields add. An example of such a design is described which generates a gradient of 130 T/m with systematic errors less than 10/sup -8/ at 67% of the aperture.