Compact linear accelerator with accelerating waveguide

A tunable linear accelerator waveguide comprising:

• a plurality of adjacent cells, each of the plurality of adjacent cells defining an aperture having a diameter and configured to receive electrons therethrough, the apertures of the adjacent cells defining a beam axis of the waveguide along the beam path, wherein each of the adjacent cells has a first length defined along the beam axis;
• a plurality of tuners, each tuner attached to a cell wall of one of the adjacent cells and configured to deform the cell wall;
• one or more bunching cells comprising an aperture configured to accelerate electrons therethrough, wherein each of the one or more bunching cells has a length along the beam axis smaller than the first length;
• and
• a coupler cell configured to couple microwaves from a microwave generator assembly into the waveguide;
• wherein the waveguide is configured to contain a standing or travelling microwave,
• wherein the waveguide is configured to accelerate electrons to between about 3 MeV and about 9 MeV, and
• wherein the waveguide has a length along the beam axis of between about 20 cm and about 75 cm.

A compact linear accelerator head comprising:

• a waveguide configured to contain a standing or travelling microwave and accelerate electrons to between about 3 MeV and about 9 MeV, the waveguide comprising:
• a plurality of adjacent cells, each of the plurality of adjacent cells defining an aperture having a diameter and configured to receive electrons therethrough, the apertures of the adjacent cells defining a beam axis of the waveguide along a beam path, wherein each of the adjacent cells has a first length defined along the beam axis;
• one or more bunching cells comprising an aperture configured to accelerate electrons therethrough, wherein each of the one or more bunching cells has a length along the beam axis smaller than the first length;
• and
• a coupler cell configured to couple microwaves from a microwave generator assembly into the waveguide;
• an electron generator coupled to a first end of the waveguide along the beam path and configured to emit electrons into the waveguide along the beam path;
• a converter disposed within the electron beam path at a second end of the waveguide opposite the electron generator, the converter configured to receive incident electrons and convert the incident electrons into photons;
• and
• an electron gun vacuum flange disposed between the electron generator and the waveguide, the electron gun vacuum flange comprising a first waveguide coupling section coaxial with the beam axis, wherein the electron gun vacuum flange is configured to provide fluid communication between a vacuum pump and an interior of the waveguide.