High-Efficiency Deflection of High-Energy Protons through Axial Channeling in a Bent Crystal

Beam deflection due to axial channeling in a silicon crystal bent along the < 111 > axis was observed with 400 GeV/c protons at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. The condition for doughnut scattering of protons by the atomic strings of the crystal was attained. Such a condition allowed one to observe a beam deflection of 50 mu rad with about 30% efficiency. The contribution of hyperchanneled states of protons to the observed beam deflection was less than 2% according to simulation results.