A fast kicker magnet for the PSI 600 MeV proton beam to the PSI ultra-cold neutron source

Abstract The new type of ultra-cold neutron source presently under construction at PSI requires the possibility of transporting the full high-intensity proton beam, currently 2 mA, for about 8 s every 800 s onto a spallation target located at the centre of the source. For this purpose, a fast kicker magnet with a rise time (5–95%) of 0.5 ms has been built. The required magnet and power supply have been manufactured at PSI and were installed during a shutdown. A first test of the fast beam switching process, however, for safety reasons with a reduced beam intensity of 20 μ A , was performed successfully.