Measuring and aligning accelerator components to the nanometre scale

First tests have shown that the precision and accuracy required for linear colliders and other future accelerators of 10 micrometers is costly and lengthy with a process based on independent fiducializations of single components. Indeed, the systematic and random errors at each step add up during the process with the final accuracy of each component center well above the target. A new EC-funded training network named PACMAN (a study on Particle Accelerator Components Metrology and Alignment to the Nanometer scale) will propose and develop an alternative solution integrating all the alignment steps and a large number of technologies at the same time and location, in order to gain the required precision and accuracy. The network composed of seven industrial partners and nine universities and research centers will be based at CERN where ten doctoral students will explore the technology limitations of metrology. They will develop new techniques to measure magnetic and microwave fields, optical and non-contact sensors and survey methods as well as high accuracy mechanics, nano-positioning and vibration sensors.