The UA9 setup for the double-crystal experiment in CERN-SPS

Abstract Experiments to measure the electric and the magnetic moments of short-lived baryons using an internal target and two bent crystals in the vicinity of one of the existing LHC detectors were recently proposed, in the frame of the Physics Beyond Colliders Working Group at CERN. Investigating fixed-target physics in the LHC with in-vacuum solid targets is an unprecedented challenge. As a preparatory step, the layout of the UA9 experiment, installed in the CERN SPS to explore beam manipulations assisted by bent crystals, has been modified to study the feasibility of the double-crystal scenario in a circular accelerator. Ideally, the first crystal should capture halo protons in channeling states directing them onto the internal target to produce rare baryons, whilst the second crystal, located just downstream of the target, should channel the baryons, rotate their polarization vector and deflect them towards the detector area. The upgraded UA9 layout is presented. Preliminary measurements providing an insight of the beam behavior are reported.