Progress Towards Completion of the MICE Demonstration of Muon Ionization Cooling (1312.1626v1)

Abstract: The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory aims to demonstrate $\approx$ 10% ionization cooling of a muon beam by its interaction with low-Z absorber materials followed by restoration of longitudinal momentum in RF linacs. MICE Step IV, including the first LH2 or LiH absorber cell sandwiched between two particle tracking spectrometers, is the collaboration's near-term goal. Two large superconducting spectrometer solenoids and one focus coil solenoid will provide a magnetic field of $\approx$4 T in the tracker and absorber-cell volumes. The status of these components is described, as well as progress towards Steps V and VI, including the eight RF cavities to provide the required 8 MV/m gradient in a strong magnetic field; this entails an RF drive system to deliver 2 MW, 1 ms pulses of 201 MHz frequency at 1 Hz repetition rate, the distribution network to deliver 1 MW to each cavity with correct RF phasing, diagnostics to determine the gradient and the muon transit phase, and development of the large-diameter magnets required for the linacs.