High Current Plasma Cathode for Accelerators

A rugged reliable cathode technology for application in superconducting radio frequency industrial linear accelerators will be developed. The non-thermionic cathode has no low work function surfaces and as a result is not sensitive to background gases or pressure. The high current cathode operates in pulsed mode over a wide frequency range. The simple construction of the cathode makes it easy to repair or replace reducing downtime. During Phase I a prototype plasma cathode will be demonstrated. The performance over a range of pressures with be evaluated in order to optimize performance. Compatibility with the vacuum of accelerators will be demonstrated with differentially pumped apertures. Operation in the high RF field of an accelerator will be demonstrated. Once available the technology has a wide range of applications as a replacement cathode for other types of cathodes. The improved stability even in the presence of background reactive gases and absence of any sensitive features will improve the reliability of accelerators and improve productivity