Title: Proton Beam Intensity Upgrades for the Neutrino Program at Fermilab,
Abstract: Fermilab is committed to upgrading its accelerator complex towards the
intensity frontier to pursue HEP research in the neutrino sector and beyond.
The upgrade has two steps: 1) the Proton Improvement Plan (PIP), which is
underway, has its primary goal to start providing 700 kW beam power on NOvA
target by the end of 2017 and 2) the foreseen PIP-II will replace the existing
LINAC, a 400 MeV injector to the Booster, by an 800 MeV superconducting LINAC
by the middle of next decade, with output beam intensity from the Booster
increased significantly and the beam power on the NOvA target increased to <1.2
MW. In any case, the Fermilab Booster is going to play a very significant role
for the next two decades. In this context, we have recently developed and
commissioned an innovative beam injection scheme for the Booster called "early
injection scheme." This scheme is already in operation and has a potential to
increase the Booster beam intensity from the PIP design goal by a considerable
amount with a reduced beam emittance and beam loss. In this paper, we will
present results from our experience from the new scheme in operation, current
status and future plans.