Speaker
Description
The Southern Europe Thomson Backscattering Source for Applied Research (STAR) is a compact hard X-ray source designed by INFN for advanced applied materials-science research and founded by Progetto
MaTeRiA. MaTeRiA has been realized thanks to a partnership between the University of Calabria and CNISM (Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze fisiche della Materia).
The machine has been installed at the University of Calabria (UNICAL); the X-ray beam is produced using the Thomson Back-scattering process, where relativistic electron bunches, accelerated by a 60 MeV Linear Accelerator (LINAC), interact with very short photon pulses, produced a by a 30 mJ@5 ps IR (Infrared) Pulsed Laser.
The EPICS-based command/control (ComCon) system of the STAR machine has been designed and currently is under commissioning, using technologies at the state of arts and making extensive use of COTS hardware and software assuring full control and supervision of the whole machine and all relevant subsystems: Beam Diagnostics, Magnets Power Supply, RF devices, Laser systems, Vacuum subsystem, Machine Protection System, Personnel Protection System interface and timing system.
A growth potential has been considered in the design phase, in order to take into account any future expansions of the control system during the lifecycle of the facility without impact on the performance.
Scalability of systems is crucial, for the moment the current design allows to generate tunable collimated monochromatic X-rays in the range between 10 and 200 keV, in the future the main idea will be to obtain a machine to generate higher energy X-ray beams, towards the MeV. The control system from both SW and HW points of view has to accommodate this need as well as allowing to operate the machine for a long lifecycle.
