Pulse-mode measurement of electron beam halo using diamond-based detector

Using a diamond-based detector, the electron beam halo in a high-energy accelerator can be measured with a lower detection limit than that using other instruments, such as a core monitor, a dose meter, or an optical fiber. We have successfully measured an electron beam halo using diamond-based detectors operating in the ionization mode, which were installed in the beam duct to measure the intensity of the beam halo directly. Pulse-by-pulse measurements were adopted to suppress the background noise efficiently. Feasibility tests on the diamond-based detector and beam halo monitor were performed in the beam dump area of the 8 GeV SPring-8 synchrotron booster and at the 250 MeV SPring-8 Compact SASE Source test accelerator for the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser (SACLA), respectively. We achieved a lower detection limit of 2 x 10(3) electrons/pulse for single-shot measurement, which corresponds to a ratio of about 10(-6) relative to the typical charge of the beam core of 0.3 pC. We also confirmed the feasibility of the electron beam halo monitor for use as an interlock sensor to protect undulator permanent magnets used in SACLA from radiation damage.