Novel ASTA Users Facility At Fermilab: A Testbed For Superconducting RF Technology And ERL R&D

The Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA) currently under commissioning at Fermilab will enable a broad range of beam-based experiments to study fundamental limitations to beam intensity and to develop transformative approaches to particle-beam generation, acceleration and manipulation. ASTA incorporates a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) linac coupled to a photoinjector and small-circumference storage ring capable of storing electrons or protons. ASTA will establish a unique resource for R&D towards Energy Frontier facilities and a test-bed for SRF accelerators and high-brightness beam applications, including ERLs. The unique features of ASTA include: (1) a high repetition-rate, (2) one of the highest peak and average brightness within the U.S., (3) a GeV-scale beam energy, (4) an extremely stable beam, (5) the availability of SRF and high quality beams together, and (6) a storage ring capable of supporting a broad range of ring-based advanced beam dynamics experiments. These unique features will foster a broad program in advanced accelerator R&D which cannot be carried out elsewhere. We describe ASTA and its experimental program, with particular emphasis on the ERL-related accelerator R&D opportunities.