Performance of the CERN plasma lens in laboratory and beam tests at the antiproton source

The CERN plasma lens is based on a dynamic z-pinch which creates during 500 ns a cylindrical plasma current conductor of 290 mm length and 38 to 45 mm diameter. The lens is designed for pulsed pinched currents of 400 kA and magnetic field gradients of 200 T/m produced with stored energies of 56 kJ. Life tests of different lens components were carried through at a repetition rate of 4.8 s/pulse. The results of the first beam tests of the plasma lens at the CERN antiproton source are very encouraging in view of other potential plasma lens applications. 1