In August, FRIB staff successfully tested the radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) above the full design input power of 100 kilowatts (kW) in continuous-wave operation. This is the electric power needed to achieve the FRIB mission goal of accelerating uranium beams to 200 MeV/nucleon. The RFQ prepares the beam for further acceleration in the linear accelerator.

The FRIB RFQ is a brazed copper structure approximately 16 feet long and approximately 3 feet wide.

The RFQ has been in regular operation to support beam commissioning and testing. Its typical input power had been around 50 kW, which was first achieved in 2017.

The next step is to accelerate beams through the RFQ at 100-kW input power.