Because particle optics is at the heart of accelerator operation, particle optics computer programs play a critical role throughout the life cycle of every accelerator. Although new and innovative optics programs have been developed for a spectrum of existing and proposed accelerators, the ability to effectively use many of these programs is often limited to specialists. Non-specialists need improved software tools in order to apply these advanced optics computer programs to a growing range of accelerator applications. This project addresses the challenge by creating an Open Architecture Software Integration System that will allow both specialists and non-specialists to create easy-to-use graphic interfaces for any optics program. The system will provide an intuitive human-computer interface that can be customized to each users requirements and provide full integration with other advanced software tools. In Phase I, a demonstration software package was developed, and a software user manual was written for the package. The package was then applied to selected optics programs to demonstrate feasibility. In Phase II, the Open Architecture Software Integration System will be further developed to support a wide variety of accelerator and particle beam optics design and simulation programs. The software tool will then be applied to four diverse particle optics codes to create innovative graphic user interfaces, which will be integrated with other advanced tools to enhance the utility of those codes.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new software tool should find use in many new and emerging applications of particle accelerators. In addition, it should provide a valuable commercial tool for optimizing the performance of medical accelerators and improving manufacturing processes that use accelerators.
