The SPL (II) at CERN; a Superconducting 3.5-GeV H- Linac

A revision of the physics needs and recent progress in the technology of superconducting (SC) RF cavities have triggered major changes in the design of a SC H-linac at CERN. With up to 5MW beam power, the SPL can be the proton driver for a next generation ISOL-type radioactive beam facility (”EURISOL”) and/or supply protons to a neutrino () facility (conventional superbeam + beta-beam or -factory). Furthermore the SPL can replace Linac2 and the PS booster (PSB), improving significantly the beam performance in terms of brightness, intensity, and reliability for the benefit of all proton users at CERN, including LHC and its luminosity upgrade. Compared with the first conceptual design, the beam energy is almost doubled (3.5GeV instead of 2.2 GeV) while the length is reduced by 40%. At a repetition rate of 50 Hz, the linac reuses decommissioned 352.2MHz RF equipment from LEP in the low-energy part. Beyond 90MeV the RF frequency is doubled, and from 180MeV onwards high-gradient SC bulkniobium cavities accelerate the beam to its final energy of 3.5GeV. This paper presents the overall design approach, together with the technical progress since the first conceptual design in 2000.