Proposal for a Cavity Phase Observation System in the PS Machine

In multi-cavity synchrotrons it is essential to be able to measure the phase difference between RF cavities. Errors in relative phase can have a particularly deleterious effect on the beam during RF gymnastics. Currently, two methods are available to measure the relative phase in the CERN Proton Synchrotron (PS), but neither attains the desired resolution nor covers the full arsenal of cavities. This note describes a system that will measure the relative phase between cavities with high resolution. The system makes use of the digital hardware deployed in the LEIR beam control and of the corresponding DSP and FPGA signal processing. The focus is on beams controlled by the Multi Harmonic Source (MHS) clock. The system described here is also a step towards the deployment of a new generation of digital beam control systems for the PS Complex machines, within the framework of the LHC injector consolidation and following the successful commissioning of the LEIR digital beam control system. Some expected benefits are briefly summarised at the end of this document