Development of Multiple-Beam Guns for High-Power Radio Frequency Sources for Accelerators and Colliders

60150 The current generation of high power klystrons, used in accelerators for high energy physics research, operate at voltages between 400 and 600 kV. One of the major cost drivers for these devices is the high operating voltage. Not only are the power supply costs significant, but the high voltage leads to increased circuit length, higher radiation hazards, larger insulating ceramics, and increased problems with high voltage breakdown. This project will develop a capability to design and manufacture multiple beam guns for RF sources operating at power levels exceeding 75 MW at beam voltages less than 200 kV. Highly efficient, solid sate power supplies will be utilized, which will dramatically reduce the costs of accelerator and collider systems, as well as reduce problems with high voltage breakdown and radiation shielding. Phase I addressed all the major issues related to the computational design of multiple beam guns for RF sources producing more than 50 NW of RF power. Simulations predicted that the configurations developed should provide high quality electron beams for efficient RF generation at considerably lower beam voltages than currently possible. Phase II will complete the development and experimentally test multiple beam guns producing 100-200 NW of beam power. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The reduction in beam voltage should dramatically lower the cost of RF sources for many proposed accelerator and collider systems. Reduced beam voltage would also result in increased RF bandwidth, which would have major applications for radar systems. The beam voltage reduction would allow implementation in systems and platforms where high voltage operation is not desirable or possible