THE NEXT LINEAR COLLIDER DAMPING RING COMPLEX ∗

We report progress on the design of the Next Linear Collider (NLC) Damping Rings complex (DRC) [1]. The purpose of the DRC is to provide 120 Hz, low emittance electron and positron bunch trains to the NLC linacs [2]. It consists of two 1.98 GeV main damping rings, one positron pre-damping ring, two pairs of bunch length and energy compressor systems and interconnecting transport lines. The 2 main damping rings store up to 0.8 amp in 3 trains of 95 bunches each and have normalized extracted beam emittances γεx = 3 μm-rad and γεy = 0.03 μm-rad. The preliminary optical design, performance specifications and tolerances are given in [1]. Key subsystems include 1) the 714 MHz RF system [3], 2) the 60 ns risetime injection / extraction pulsed kicker magnets [4], 3) the 44 m wiggler magnet system, 4) the arc and wiggler vacuum system, 5) the radiation management system, 6) the beam diagnostic instrumentation, 7) special systems used for downstream machine protection and 8) feedback-based stabilization systems. Experience at the SLAC Linear Collider has shown that the NLC damping rings will have a pivotal role in the operation of the high power linacs. The ring dynamics and instabilities will in part determine the design choices made for the NLC machine protection system. This paper includes a summary overview of the main ring design and key subsystem components.