CDF Takes First Big Step on First Try
This photograph, taken on October 31 last year, shows the CDF solenoid coil being hoisted into position between the two endwalls of the detector. Clearances between the ends of the coil and the endwalls were as close as 300 mil.
The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) achieved a major milestone at 2:35 a.m. on Sunday, March 24, when the CDF solenoid magnet coil in the center of the detector at BO reached its design field of 15 kG on the first try.
Coil cooldown from room temperature to operating temperature occurred in 8 days as planned. The refrigeration system performed extremely well, with no interruptions.
The CDF solenoid coil is the largest "thin" coil currently in operation in the world. "Thin" coils are "thin" in terms of physical thickness, radiation length, and absorption length. These coil characteristics make it easier for particles to pass through the coil on their way to detection.
The solenoid coil will provide the electromagnetic field used in conjunction with tracking chambers to measure secondary particles from 2 TeV pp collisions.
Present plans are to operate the solenoid coil at full field for several weeks for preliminary field mapping.
The Japanese government provided about 3 million dollars to Tsukuba University to finance the construction of the 3 meter diameter by 5 meter long superconducting solenoid coil. The coil was designed by a collaboration of physicists and engineers from CDF and the Research Division Cryogenic Department, along with physicists and engineers from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, and Hitachi Heavy Industries, Japan. The power supply, refrigerator, and controls were constructed at Fermilab. The coil itself was assembled at Hitachi Heavy Industries in Japan, and flown to Chicago by way of Alaska on a special airplane designed for oversized, heavy cargo.
Over 70 people, all told, were involved in the CDF solenoid coil success. An upcoming article in FermiNews will give recognition to all those involved, and update overall CDF progress.