New Concepts for Pulse Power Modulators

78341S The international science community recently selected a superconducting approach for the next generation electron-positron collider. This machine will require nearly 600 high voltage modulators and power supplies, capable of driving the accelerator's L-band klystrons. The cost of these modulators and power supplies will represent a significant portion of the overall budget of the International Linear Collider (ILC). Development of reliable, cost-effective klystrom power systems is a critical step forward to the construction of the ILC itself. This project will design and build a Marx bank modulator and power supply capable of operating the full range of potential ILC klystrons, and provide it to SLAC for evaluation and klystron testing. In Phase I will define the range of requirements for the ILC klystron design. Based on these requirements, a solid state Marx bank modulator and power supply for one or two ILC klystrons will be designed, with the primary objective of minimizing both acquisition cost and total operating costs. A major element in the design will be the optimization of energy storage and control in the modulator, in order to meet the klystron pulse fidelity requirements without very large and expensive capacitor banks. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Marx banks have traditionally been the lowest cost means of generating high power, high voltage pulses. Solid-state Marx bank modulators, which are reliable, inexpensive, and efficient, should lead to a highly cost effective means of applying solid-state, pulsed power technology to commercial and industrial high voltage systems. Applications include military radar, medical accelerators, high-energy X-ray systems, and irradiation systems.