Recent Improvements to the Control of the CTF3 High-Current Drive Beam

In order to demonstrate the feasibility of the CLIC multiTeV linear collider option, the drive beam complex at the CLIC Test Facility (CTF3) at CERN is providing highcurrent electron pulses for a number of related experiments. By means of a system of electron pulse compression and bunch frequency multiplication, a fully loaded, 120 MeV linac is used to generate 140 ns electron pulses of around 28 Amperes. Subsequent deceleration of this high-current drive beam demonstrates principles behind the CLIC acceleration scheme, and produces 12 GHz RF power for experimental purposes. As the facility has progressed toward routine operation, a number of studies aimed at improving the drive beam performance have been carried out. Additional feedbacks, automated steering programs, and improved control of optics and dispersion have contributed to a more stable, reproducible drive beam with consequent benefits for the experiments.