LHC LEAD ION BEAM OPTICS WITH LOW-BETA INSERTION FOR THE PS TO SPS TRANSFER LINE

In the context of the LHC operation with lead ions programme, a low beta insertion was implemented in the PS to SPS transfer line TT2, for the stripping foil installation, in order to reduce the beam emittance blow-up at the foil to values consistent with the tight emittance budget of the LHC. Extra quadrupoles and power converters had to be installed in TT2, in order to obtain a satisfactorily low beta at the stripper location and a good quality matching of the line at the SPS injection. The performance of the new optics is discussed and measurements results in TT2 and in the SPS with the "early ion beam" are presented.