Electron beam deflection diagnostic

A nonperturbing diagnostic tool which is capable of precisely measuring the position and charge distribution of charged particle beams, including those from RF accelerators, is described. The diagnostic uses as a probe a low-energy (1–20 keV), μΑ-level electron beam, which is injected at right angles to the path of the primary beam, after which they are collected by a suitable detector. The deflection of the probe electrons depends on the position of the primary beam relative to the test beam as well as on the charge distribution of the primary beam. Consequently, by measuring the deflections, one can determine these primary beam parameters. Calculations which illustrate the capabilities of this technique are presented, and the design and performance of a prototype version of the diagnostic version of the diagnostic are described.