Strong RF focusing for luminosity increase: short bunches at the IP

One of the key-issues to increase the luminosity in the next generation particle factories is to reduce the bunch length at the interaction point (IP) as much as possible. This will allow reducing proportionally the transverse beta functions at the IP and increasing the luminosity by the same factor. The strong RF focusing consists in obtaining short bunches by substantially increasing the lattice momentum compaction and the RF gradient. In this regime the bunch length is modulated along the ring and could be minimized at the IP. If the principal impedance generating elements of the ring are located where the bunch is long (in the RF cavities region) it is possible to avoid microwave instability and excessive bunch lengthening due to the potential well distortion.