Beam structure and transverse emittance studies of high-energy ion beams

A visual diagnostic technique has been developed to monitor and study ion-beam structure, shape, and size along a transport line. In this technique, a commercially available fluorescent screen is used in conjunction with a video camera. The visual representation of the beam structure is digitized, enhanced through false-color coding, and displayed on a TV monitor for on-line viewing. The digitized information is stored for further off-line processing (e.g. extraction of beam profiles). An optional wire grid placed upstream of the fluor screen adds the capability of measuring transverse emittance (or angular spread). This technique allows real-time observation of the beam response to parameter changes (e.g. evolution of the beam structure, shifts in the beam intensity at various spatial locations within the beam perimeter, and shifts in the beam center and position).<>