Design of the New Wideband RF System for the CERN PS Booster

For the renovation and upgrade of the CERN PS Booster (PSB) RF systems a development project was launched in 2012. The design, based on a new approach, aimed at replacing the existing tuned, narrowband RF systems with wideband, modular, solid-state driven units. A wide range of issues had to be addressed spanning from RF power production, radiation hardness of solid-state devices, active cancellation of beam-induced voltages, dedicated low-level electronics allowing multi-harmonic operation and beam stability. Following a three-year prototyping and testing campaign and two international reviews, the project endorsement came at the end of year 2015. It foresees the complete removal of present h1, h2 and h10 systems and the deployment of a new one covering all the frequency ranges from 1 MHz to 18 MHz. The four PSB rings will be equipped with 144 identical acceleration cells providing 24 kV total RF voltage per ring. This paper describes the design concepts, the retained solutions, the expected performances and includes the procurement and implementation strategies. This activity is part of the LHC Injectors Upgrade project (LIU).