Low Cost, Portable X-Ray Simulator Development

We propose, in Phase I and Phase II, to build an X-ray simulator capable of easy transportation between sites which can be built for a low cost (<$750,000) even for a first unit. A portable low cost simulator such as the one we have proposed will make X-ray simulation much more attractive in a variety of situation. The simulator's design is based on the use of solid dielectric striplines combined with railgap switches to provide power to eight a bremmstrahlung or PRS load. The fact that only one stage of energy storage is used in this system leads to significant cost savings relative to other simulators. In Phase I previous work on stripline life and railgap inductance will be extended to modern dielectrics and to provide a basis for designing a phase II system. Studies of the convolution of power will also be performed. The use of multiple stripline assemblies is planned, and the use of these devices leads to several attractive options for electron beam diode design. Once these devices have been demonstrated in a full sized Phase II configuration at 500 kV and 1 MA per unit, there may be attractive methods for combining multiple units' output to make more powerful simulators. The proposed work will lead to the development of a new type of S-ray simulator with reduced cost and size, and useful output. There are applications in the commercial sector as a low cost X-ray line radiation source.