Proton antiproton collisions at a finite crossing angle in the SPS

Very little experimental data is available on the effect of a crossing angle in hadron colliders with bunched beams. The electrostatic separators of the CERN SPS (Super Proton Synchrotron) used to separate the orbits in its normal operation as a proton-antiproton collider were used to establish a horizontal crossing angle in one of the interaction regions. The authors have studied the effect of the crossing angle on the beam dynamics to compare them with theory and to identify possible limitations for future high-luminosity colliders, in particular for the Large Hadron Collider currently under study at CERN.<>