First implementation of transversely split proton beams in the CERN Proton Synchrotron for the fixed-target physics programme

A new extraction technique has been studied at the CERN Proton Synchrotron with a view of using it for the fixed-target physics programme at the Super Proton Synchrotron. The extraction scheme is based on advanced concepts of non-linear beam dynamics: prior to extraction a particle beam is split into several beamlets in a transverse plane by crossing a stable resonance, which allows extracting the beamlets over multiple turns. The principle of the extraction, the detail of its implementation, and the progress of the beam commissioning over the years are discussed here. More importantly, the results obtained during the first period of successful use for the physics programme are presented, focusing on the performance analysis of the novel extraction. Copyright CERN. Published by the EPLA under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (CC BY). Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.