Hands-On Accelerator Physics Using MATLAB®

Hands-On Accelerator Physics Using MATLAB®, Second Edition, provides a broad introduction into the physics and the technology of particle accelerators from synchrotron light sources to high-energy colliders. It covers the design of beam optics, magnets, and radio-frequency systems, followed by a discussion of beam instrumentation and correction algorithms. Later chapters deal with the interaction of beams with targets, the emission of synchrotron radiation, and intensity limitations. Chapters discussing running and future accelerators round up the presentation. Theoretical concepts and the design of key components are explained with the help of MATLAB code. Practical topics, such as beam size measurements, magnet construction and measurements, and radio-frequency measurements are explored in student labs that do not require access to an accelerator. This unique approach provides a look at what goes on "under the hood" inside modern accelerators and presents readers with the tools to perform their independent investigations on the computer or in student labs. This book will be of interest to graduate students, post-graduate researchers studying accelerator physics, as well as engineers entering the field. The second edition features a new chapter on future accelerators and several new sections on polarization, neutrino beams, testing of superconducting cavities, and matching in longitudinal phase space, among others. The MATLAB code was updated to be consistent with the recent release of R2024a. All code is available from the book’s GitHub site at https://github.com/volkziem/HandsOnAccelerators2nd. Key features: Provides a broad introduction into physics of particle accelerators from synchrotron light sources to high-energy colliders. Discusses technical subsystems, including magnets, radio-frequency engineering, instrumentation and diagnostics, correction of imperfections, control, vacuum, and cryogenics. Illustrates key concepts with sample code in MATLAB.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction and History. Chapter 2: Reference System. Chapter 3: Transverse Beam Optics. Chapter 4: Magnets. Chapter 5: Longitudinal Dynamics and Acceleration. Chapter 6: Radio-Frequency Systems. Chapter 7: Instrumentation and Diagnostics. Chapter 8: Imperfections and Their Correction. Chapter 9: Targets and Luminosity. Chapter 10: Synchrotron Radiation and Free-Electron Lasers. Chapter 11: Non-linear Dynamics. Chapter 12: Collective Effects. Chapter 13: Accelerator Subsystems. Chapter 14: Examples of Accelerators. Chapter 15: Future Accelerators. Appendix A: The Student Labs. Appendix B: Appendices Available Online. Bibliography. Index.

About the Author :
Volker Ziemann earned his PhD in accelerator physics from Dortmund University in 1990. After post-doctoral positions in Stanford at SLAC and in Geneva at CERN, where he worked on the design of the LHC, he moved to Uppsala in 1995 where he worked at the electron-cooler storage ring CELSIUS. In 2005 he moved to the physics department where he taught physics. Since 2024 he has been Director for Accelerator Education at Jefferson National Laboratory. He was responsible for several accelerator physics projects at CERN, DESY, and XFEL. In 2014 he received the Thuréus Prize from the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala. He was a member of Uppsala University’s senate, served on evaluation committees for the German ministry of research and the Canadian NSERC, is a member of the Scientific Council of the Helmholtz Institute in Mainz, and teaches at CERN accelerator schools. He authored four books and over 200 articles and reports.

Review :
What I love about this book is the ease with which it introduces the reader to the complex art of accelerator design. In a friendly, conversational tone that invites you to read on, the book not only teaches the basics of accelerator physics, but also introduces us to more advanced topics such as nonlinear beam dynamics, various instabilities, and sophisticated methods such as Lie algebra and Hamiliton formalism. The well-designed and well-placed MATLAB exercises help with understanding and internalisation, and provide a virtual 'control room' experience. It is also noteworthy that no aspect of a real accelerator is neglected, be it dosimetry, the vacuum system or the building. Its comprehensive approach makes the book a highly recommended resource for aspiring accelerator physicists. - Atoosa Meseck, Professor of Accelerator Physics, University of Mainz, March 2025 Volker Ziemann’s Hands-On Accelerator Physics Using MATLAB® stands out for the book’s ability to connect foundational physics with hands-on computational tools in a seamless and pedagogically powerful manner. Ziemann succeeds not only in demystifying abstract concepts but also in empowering the reader to experiment, tweak, and internalize the physics through immediate feedback. This is more than a textbook—it is a dynamic laboratory in silico. As the authors of Unifying Physics of Accelerators, Lasers, and Plasma, I am especially appreciative of Ziemann’s inventive approach that resonates with the unifying mindset I advocate—bridging theory,sapplication, and intuition. This book doesn’t merely teach accelerator physics; it invites the reader to play with it, to explore its underlying principles through code and computation. In doing so, it fosters the kind of creative problem-solving that is essential not only in accelerator physics but across the broader landscape of modern physics and engineering. Highly recommended for students, educators, and professionals who value clarity, creativity, and computational insight. - Andrei Seryi and Elena Seraia, Jefferson Laboratory, April 2025