Boosterkiihdyttimessä

Boosterkiihdyttimessä, often translated as booster accelerator or simply booster in English, refers to a component or system used in particle accelerators to increase the energy of a particle beam. These boosters are typically smaller than the main accelerator ring or linac but serve a crucial role in preparing the beam for final acceleration.

The primary function of a booster accelerator is to take a particle beam that has already been accelerated to a certain energy and provide an additional energy boost before it enters the main acceleration stage. This is often done by using radiofrequency cavities that impart energy to the particles with each pass. By operating at higher frequencies or with more intense electromagnetic fields, boosters can efficiently increase the beam's kinetic energy.

Booster accelerators are commonly found in synchrotrons and storage rings. In a synchrotron, a booster might be used to accelerate particles from an initial low energy to the injection energy required for the main ring. This staged acceleration approach allows for more efficient use of the expensive, high-energy components of the main accelerator. In some cases, a booster might also be used to "cool" the beam, reducing its emittance (a measure of its size and divergence) before it is injected into a storage ring for experiments or further acceleration. The design and energy of a booster are tailored to the specific type of particle being accelerated and the overall requirements of the accelerator facility.