Design of an integrally formed RFQ

The design, construction, and testing of a 410-MHz RFQ (radio-frequency quadrupole) utilizing a new mechanical design concept have been completed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The RFQ is planned to be used at the Bevatron for injecting protons into the present heavy-ion linac. The integral vane-cavity construction is a significant and unique feature of this RFQ design, wherein four walls with integral vanes are assembled to form the RFQ geometry. This design concept provides the capability of achieving precision vane alignment in minimal assembly time with no adjustments required. The design concept, including material selection, plating, vacuum-seal design, assembly, and testing, is described. It is concluded that this RFQ design concept with its integration of the vanes with the cavity has satisfactorily proven itself to have the precision assembly, manufacturing economy, and high performance required for physics research as well as biomedical and industrial applications