The Cornell ERL prototype project

Synchrotron light sources based on Energy Recovery Linacs (ERLs) show promise to deliver X-ray beams with both brilliance and X-ray pulse duration far superior to the values that can be achieved with storage ring technology. Cornell University, in collaboration with Jefferson Laboratory, has proposed the construction of a prototype ERL. This 100MeV, 100mA CW superconducting electron accelerator will be used to study and resolve the many accelerator physics and technology issues of this type of machine. These studies are essential before ERLs can be confidently proposed for large-scale applications such as synchrotron light sources. Key issues include the generation of high average current, high brightness electron beams; acceleration and transport of these beams while preserving their brightness; adequate damping of higher order modes (HOMs) to assure beam stability; removal of large amounts of HOM power from the cryogenic environment; stable RF control of cavities operating at very high external Q; reduction of beam losses to very low levels; and the development of precision non-intercepting diagnostics to allow beam setup, control and characterization. Our prototype design allows us to address these and other issues over a broad range of parameter space. This design, along with recent progress on understanding these issues, will be presented.