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Polarized electrons from GaAs photocathodes have been key to some of the highest-impact results of the Jefferson Lab science program over the past 30 years. During this time, various studies have given insight into improving the operational lifetime of these photocathodes in DC high-voltage photo-guns while using lasers with spatial Gaussian profiles of typically 0.5 mm to 1 mm FWHM, cathode voltages of 100 kV to 130 kV, and a wide range of beam currents up to multiple mA. In this contribution, we show recent experimental data from a 100 kV to 180 kV setup and describe our progress at predicting the lifetime based on the calculable dynamics of ionized gas molecules inside the gun. These new experimental studies at Jefferson Lab are specifically aimed at exploring the ion damage of higher-voltage guns being built for injectors., Proceedings of the 5th North American Particle Accelerator Conference, NAPAC2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA

The Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility injector at Jefferson Lab (JLab) utilizes an inverted-geometry ceramic insulator photogun operating at 130 kV direct current to generate spin-polarized electron beams for high-energy nuclear physics experiments. A second photogun delivers 180 keV beam for commissioning a SRF booster in a testbed accelerator, and a larger version delivers 300 keV magnetized beam in a test stand beam line. This contribution reports on the development of an unprecedented inverted-insulator with cable connector for reliably applying 500 kV DC to a future polarized beam photogun, to be designed for operating at 350 kV without field emission. Such a photogun design could then be used for generating a polarized electron beam to drive a spin-polarized positron source as a demonstrator for high energy nuclear physics at JLab. There are no commercial cable connectors that fit the large inverted insulators required for that voltage range. Our proposed concept is based on a modified epoxy receptacle with intervening SF6 layer and a test electrode in a vacuum vessel., Proceedings of the 5th North American Particle Accelerator Conference, NAPAC2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA

An electron beam with high bunch charge and high repetition rate is required for electron cooling of the ion beam to achieve the high luminosity required for the proposed electron-ion colliders. An improved design of the 300 kV DC high voltage photogun at Jefferson Lab was incorporated toward overcoming the beam loss and space charge current limitation experienced in the original design. To reach the bunch charge goal of ~ few nC within 75 ps bunches, the existing DC high voltage photogun electrodes and anode-cathode gap were modified to increase the longitudinal electric field (Ez) at the photocathode. The anode-cathode gap was reduced to increase the Ez at the photocathode, and the anode aperture was spatially shifted with respect to the beamline longitudinal axis to minimize the beam deflection introduced by the geometric asymmetry of the inverted insulator photogun. The electrostatic design and beam dynamics simulations were performed to determine the required modification. Beam-based measurement from the modified gun confirmed the reduction of the beam deflection, which is presented in this contribution., Proceedings of the 5th North American Particle Accelerator Conference, NAPAC2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Positron beams would provide new and meaningful probes for the experimental program at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab), including but not limited to future hadronic physics and dark matter experiments. Critical requirements involve generating positron beams with a high degree of spin polarization, sufficient intensity and a continuous-wave (CW) bunch train compatible with acceleration to 12 GeV at the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF). To address these requirements, a polarized positron injector based upon the bremsstrahlung of an intense CW spin polarized electron beam is considered*. First a polarized electron beam line provides >1 mA of polarized electrons at ~120 MeV to a high-power target for positron production. Next, a second beam line collects, shapes and aligns the spin of positrons for users. Finally, the positron beam is matched into the CEBAF acceptance for acceleration and transport to the end stations with energies up to 12 GeV. An optimized layout to provide positrons beams with intensity >100 nA (polarized) or intensity >3 µA (unpolarized) will be discussed in this poster., Proceedings of the 13th International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2022, Bangkok, Thailand

Nuclear physics experiments performed in the Contin-uous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Laboratory (JLab) require spin manipulation of electron beams. Two Wien spin rotators in the injector keV region are essential at CEBAF to establish longitudinal polarization at the end station target, and to flip the polarization direction by π rad to rule out false asymmetries. In a Wien filter, the homogeneous and independent electric and magnetic fields, along with the velocity vectors of the electrons that traverse it, form a mutually orthogonal system. The magnitude of the electrostatic field, established by biasing two highly-polished elec-trodes, defines the desired spin angle at the target yet deviates the beam trajectory due to the Lorentz force. The beam trajectory in the Wien is then re-established by adjusting the magnetic field, induced by an electromag-net encasing the device vacuum chamber. This contribu-tion describes the evolution design and high voltage testing of Wien filters for spin manipulation at increased beam energies in the keV injector region, required by high precision parity violation experiments like MOLLER., Proceedings of the 5th North American Particle Accelerator Conference, NAPAC2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Since the early 1990s, the injector of the CEBAF accelerator at Jefferson Lab has relied on a normal-conducting RF graded-beta capture section to boost the kinetic energy of the electron beam from 100 / 130 keV to 600 keV for subsequent acceleration using a cryomodule housing two superconducting 5-cell cavities similar to those used throughout the accelerator. To simplify the injector design and improve the beam quality, the normal-conducting RF capture section and the cryomodule will be replaced with a new single booster cryomodule employing a superconducting, β = 0.6, 2-cell-cavity capture section and a single, β = 0.97, 7-cell cavity. The Upgraded Injector Test Facility at Jefferson Lab is currently hosting the new cryomodule to evaluate its performance with beam before installation at CEBAF. While demonstrating satisfactory performance of the booster and good agreement with simulations, our beam test results also speak to limitations of accelerator operations in a noisy, thermally unregulated environment., Proceedings of the 5th North American Particle Accelerator Conference, NAPAC2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA