Data-Driven Gradient Optimization for Field Emission Management in a Superconducting Radio-Frequency Linac
This work addresses radiation management in particle accelerators for experimental physics, representing a domain-specific incremental improvement.
The research tackled field emission-induced radiation in superconducting radio-frequency linacs by using machine learning with uncertainty quantification to predict and optimize cavity gradients, achieving over 40% reductions in neutron and gamma radiation while maintaining necessary energy gain.
Field emission can cause significant problems in superconducting radio-frequency linear accelerators (linacs). When cavity gradients are pushed higher, radiation levels within the linacs may rise exponentially, causing degradation of many nearby systems. This research aims to utilize machine learning with uncertainty quantification to predict radiation levels at multiple locations throughout the linacs and ultimately optimize cavity gradients to reduce field emission induced radiation while maintaining the total linac energy gain necessary for the experimental physics program. The optimized solutions show over 40% reductions for both neutron and gamma radiation from the standard operational settings.