ELFE at CERN: A 25 GeV C.W. Electron Accelerator

ELFE at CERN is the study of a quasi continuous electron accelerator that accelerates an average current of about 0.1 mA to 25 GeV. A polarized electron beam is injected into either a racetrack microtron or into a first recirculating linear accelerator and accelerated to 800 MeV. The acceleration from there to 25 GeV is achieved in a second recirculating linear accelerator. The beam passes seven times through super-conducting RF cavities that were previously used in LEP2, and gains about 3.5 GeV on each pass. The hadronic physics and machine aspects have been studied by a joint NuPECC-CERN Study Group. This paper reports on the findings of the machine study. Several of the following topics will be covered: Beam dynamics in a recirculating linear accelerator with a super-conducting RF system, vacuum, construction in the North Area of the SPS, experimental areas, manpower, cost and construction schedule.