Experimental Evaluation of the RF Shielding Properties of a Thin Resistive Layer in a Ceramic Chamber

In order to better understand the RF shielding properties of a thin resistive layer inside a ceramic vacuum chamber, an experimental set-up has been installed in the Electron Positron Accumulator (EPA) at CERN. A 500 MeV single bunch of about 7 x 1010 electrons (rms s=1 ns) is extracted into this dedicated beam line at a repetition rate of about 1 Hz. Wideband magnetic field probes are installed on the outer surfaces of a resistively coated ceramic test chamber as well as on a reference non-coated chamber located 2.5 m downstream the line. At the end of the extraction line, the beam passes through a thin Aluminum foil and is absorbed in an external dump. The experimental layout and the first results are presented. A comparison with theoretical expectations as well as possible implications for future machines are also discussed.