Ultra-Efficient X-Band Solid State Power Amplifier for RF Accelerators

RF accelerator applications currently rely on large, costly, and archaic traveling wave tubes (TWT), which are also very inefficient and offer lower power compared to the solid state power amplifier (SSPA) proposed under this Phase I project. These factors limit the possibilities of new applications ľ such as compact linear accelerators for beam manipulation ľ and are a key reason national laboratories such as SLAC have endorsed the development of this SSPA (see letters of support in Field 12) and why agencies such as the DOE are seeking solid state products ôas a TWT replacement for driving short-pulse klystronsö and in other similar end applications ľ per the 2024 DOE FOA. Recon-RF will develop this replacement amplifier by utilizing high-power Gallium Nitride semiconductor technology, and by starting at the design of the essential unit-cell SSPA all the way through to an optimized custom-developed power combiner which will achieve a power added efficiency of over 80% and a peak output power exceeding 5 kW at a frequency of 11.424 GHz. These specifications and narrow bandwidth are customer-driven, and have been determined after substantive conversations with persons from the DOE, various national laboratories, and prospective customers in the commercial and defense spaces. During Phase I, Recon-RF will design an ultra-efficient X-band SSPA through optimization at each stage of the design process: chip-level, board-level, and module-level. This will be accomplished through: Determination of the optimum circuit architecture at each design stage Completing the SSPA system architecture analysis Designing the GaN pallet SSPA Designing the overall SSPA Designing the DC power conditioner and control electronics Completing system integration The SSPA design will be optimized to ensure the maximum power added efficiency and peak output power while simultaneously minimizing cost structures, a key call-out and goal of this DOE topic and project. At the completion of the design, Recon-RF will complete the post-fabrication test-plan with corresponding block-diagrams for test- sets, which will provide for a smooth transition into fabrication of the design during a Phase II project. As attested to in the letters of support provided in Field 12, the SSPA has immediate and validated drop-in value for a multitude of both current and future RF accelerator applications and experiments, for example, in compact linacs and beam manipulation experiments such as X-band deflecting cavities for injector beam diagnostics. Development of this product and technology will also bolster national research which hinges on RF accelerators, and directly aligns with the U.S.ĺs strategic goal of reinforcing leadership within the semiconductor industry ľ a commitment directly reflected in legislative measures such as the CHIPS Act. By offering a product with far superior performance and at drastically reduced cost structures, Recon- RF has a clear path to immediate commercialization.