The SPIRAL2 linear accelerator is optimized for light ions (protons, deuterons), but it will also deliver heavier ions (O, Ne, Ar,…Ni) for the S3 spectrometer. The first objective of the PhD, is to propose and study the methods allowing to tune a heavy ion beam in 26 independent accelerating RF cavities in a fast and reproducible way up.
The S3 electromagnetic separator will use the beams from the linac to create and purify radioactive ions with a high efficiency. The complexity of its superconducting magnets requires an optimization of many parameters. Thanks to numerous hexapolar and octupolar corrections, we will be able to reduce the beam optical aberrations. The commissioning of the separator will require numerous measurements with beams and the development of an algorithm to optimize the optics for the 2 different operating modes. The second objective is to provide the simulations tools to nuclear physicists allowing them to prepare their experiments on S3 and to adjust the parameters of the spectrometers during the experiments.
The thesis work will be based on beam dynamics simulations and experimental measurements with beams.