Development of a GVM-based ion beam energy stabilization system at the Bucharest Van de Graaff FN tandem accelerator

This paper presents a new, home-made, GVM (Generating Voltmeter) ion beam energy stabilization system, currently in operation at the Bucharest Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. The new design combines the signal from the GVM preamplifier with the signal of an original digital reference, in order to obtain an error signal needed by the high-voltage stabilization loop. It is shown that the structure of the employed algorithm provides a high efficiency operation mode for the slow variation of accelerating voltage, with the exception of discharges in the high voltage system. The block structure design, construction features, and tests of this new stabilization system are reported in detail.