CCD based beam loss monitor for ion accelerators

Beam loss monitoring is an important aspect of proper accelerator functioning. There is a variety of existing solutions, but each has its own disadvantages, e.g. unsuitable dynamic range or time resolution, high cost, or short lifetime. Therefore, new options are looked for. This paper shows a method of application of a charge-coupled device (CCD) video camera as a beam loss monitor (BLM) for ion beam accelerators. The system was tested with a 500 MeV/u N+7 ion beam interacting with an aluminum target. The algorithms of camera signal processing with LabView based code and beam loss measurement are explained. Limits of applicability of this monitor system are discussed.