First results of the Fermilab high-brightness RF photoinjector

A collaboration has been formed between FNAL, UCLA, INFN Milano, the University of Rochester, and DESY to develop the technology of an RF photoinjector, followed by a superconducting cavity, to produce high bunch charge (8 nC) with low normalized emittance (< 20 mm {center_dot} mrad) in trains of 800 bunches separated by 1{micro}s. The activities of the collaboration fall into two categories: (1) the development of Injector II for the TeSLA/TTF accelerator [1]. This photoinjector (TTF RF Gun)was tested at Fermilab in September and October 1998 and installed at DESY in November 1998; (2) the installation at the A0 Hall of Fermilab of a modified version of the TTF photoinjector, for photoinjector R&D and to study novel applications of high-brightness, pulsed electrons beams. This photoinjector (A0 RF Gun) produced its first beam in March 1999. This paper presents a summary of the tests done at Fermilab on the TTF Injector II and the first results obtained on the new Fermilab photoinjector