A New High-Intensity, Low-Momentum Muon Beam for the Generation of Low-Energy Muons at PSI

Abstract

At the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Villigen, Switzerland) a new high-intensity muon beam line with momentum p < 40 MeV/c is currently being commissioned. The beam line is especially designed to serve the needs of the low-energy, polarized positive muon source (LE-μ ⁺) and LE-μ SR spectrometer at PSI. The beam line replaces the existing μE4 muon decay channel. A large acceptance is accomplished by installing two solenoidal magnetic lenses close to the muon production target E that is hit by the 590-MeV PSI proton beam. The muons are then transported by standard large aperture quadrupoles and bending magnets to the experiment. Several slit systems and an electrostatic separator allow the control of beam shape, momentum spread, and to reduce the background due to beam positrons or electrons. Particle intensities of up to 3.5 × 10⁸ μ ⁺/s and 10⁷ μ ⁻/s are expected at 28 MeV/c beam momentum and 1.8 mA proton beam current. This will translate into a LE-μ ⁺ rate of 7,000/s being available at the LE-μSR spectrometer, thus achieving μ ⁺ fluxes, that are comparable to standard μSR facilities.