Network: “Accelerator applications” introduced new applications as radiation-induced grafting, surface microbial decontamination and sanitation of old books, archives and cultural heritage art crafts. Bacteria and viruses inactivation by low energy electron irradiation was demonstrated. The removal of sulphur and nitrogen from ship diesel exhaust gases using an electron beam was tested in the relevant environment and other environmental applications like sterilisation of sewage sludge were studied. Accelerators for cancer treatment with very high energy electron beams and for production of PET isotopes in hospitals were analysed and developed.
“Improving energy efficiency” organised workshops on concepts and technologies to improve sustainability of large research infrastructures: energy management schemes, heat recovery, energy efficient technologies. An efficient klystron power source improving energy efficiency from 50% to 65% for future compact accelerators was designed and analysed. A new circuit topology for pulsed quadrupole magnets improved energy efficiency by 80%, and the introduction of an energy recovery circuit allowed an additional 28% energy saving.
“New high-gradient plasma-based accelerators” organized two Workshops and a specialized course on plasma accelerators. It prepared the successful integration in the ESFRI Roadmap for pan-European Research Infrastructures of the EuPRAXIA plasma-wakefield FEL accelerator to be built at Frascati (Italy), and a strategy document for high gradient acceleration with plasmas and lasers that was integrated in the conclusions of the 2020 Update of the European Strategy on Particle Physics.
“New accelerator concept and improving performance” organized 27 workshops attended by 914 participants and produced about 60 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Mitigation measures for performance limitations in hadron synchrotrons were reviewed, and energy-recovery based colliders were studied and supported. Several alternative options for future research accelerators were analysed: muon colliders, storage rings and accelerator technologies for the detection or generation of gravitational waves, a gamma factory, applications of bent crystals in accelerators.
“Rings with ultra-low emittance” supported 7 Workshops on aspects of design and technology of low emittance rings subsystems. Injection schemes based on new beam physics ideas, on technological advance in the design of kickers and striplines, and on the development of new pulsed power modulators were analysed. Technological implications of operating with small aperture high gradient magnets were analysed, to promote the use of permanent magnets with no energy consumption.
“Advanced diagnostics at accelerators” organised 11 Workshops, with up to 239 participants. Common strategies and standardised diagnostics equipment for design and operation of accelerator diagnostics were defined and promoted.
Transnational Access:the 14 facilities have provided to 310 users over 25’000 hours of access to state-of-the-art accelerator test facilities, allowing testing and further development of superconducting magnet and cryogenics components, innovative materials with high thermal properties, advanced schemes for handling of high intensity and energy accelerator beams, new schemes for laser and plasma-based acceleration, components for industrial accelerators, and high-performance accelerating structures.
Joint Research Activities: “Promoting innovation” supported innovative technologies developed with industry as accelerator systems for treatment of marine diesel exhaust gas, new methods for manufacturing of material composites, new surface deposition techniques, special diagnostics systems, production of High Temperature Superconductor tapes, and development of new accelerator timing software.
“Innovative superconducting thin films” for high-performance accelerator cavities produced 50 superconducting samples polished and sputtered with different coatings in a network of 8 laboratories and universities across Europe. The performance of the coatings was analysed, and techniques defined for the coating of full cavities.
“RF modulated electron gun” developed a gun prototype for electron lenses, a promising technology to allow higher beam intensities in low-energy synchrotrons. Two test stands have been prepared and the prototype with modulator was built and tested.
“Materials for extreme thermal management”, to manage the thermal effects of very intense beams, developed novel high-performance composites including Molybdenum Carbide – Graphite, Chromium – Graphite, and Copper – Diamond.
“Very high-gradient acceleration techniques” designed and prepared a test line for multi-stage laser wakefield acceleration, performed experiments on exotic lasers for acceleration, and developed miniaturised dielectric accelerator structures.
