Radio frequency noise effects on the CERN Large Hadron Collider beam diffusion

Radio frequency (rf) accelerating system noise can have a detrimental impact on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) performance through longitudinal motion and longitudinal emittance growth. A theoretical formalism has been developed to relate the beam and rf station dynamics with the bunch length growth {[}T. Mastorides et al., Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 13, 102801 (2010)]. Measurements were conducted at LHC to determine the performance limiting rf components and validate the formalism through studies of the beam diffusion dependence on rf noise. As a result, a noise threshold was established for acceptable performance which provides the foundation for beam diffusion estimates for higher energies and intensities. Measurements were also conducted to determine the low level rf noise spectrum and its major contributions, as well as to validate models and simulations of this system.