Synchronous plasma packet accelerator

An accelerator for charged particles, comprising:

• a vessel adapted to enclose a stream of charged particles along a pre-selected open-ended track;
• and
• drive means juxtaposed with said vessel for generating therein a magnetic field traveling in a preselected direction relative to each point of said track with the magnetic flux vector of said field transverse to said track at all points, thereby setting said particles in motion along said track with a velocity having a predetermined relation to the velocity of said traveling field,
• further comprising means for producing charged particles and introducing same at the starting point of said track.

An accelerator for charged particles, comprising:

• a vessel adapted to enclose a stream of charged particles along a preselected open-ended track;
• and
• drive means juxtaposed with said vessel for generating therein a magnetic field traveling in a preselected direction relative to each point of said track with the magnetic flux vector of said field transverse to said track at all points, thereby setting said particles in motion along said track with a velocity having a predetermined relation to the velocity of said traveling field,
• wherein said drive means comprises a set of electromagnets spaced along said track and a supply of alternating current connected to said electromagnets for exciting same in staggered phase relationship,

An accelerator for charged particles, comprising:

• a vessel adapted to enclose a stream of charged particles along a preselected open-ended track,
• drive means juxtaposed with said vessel for generating therein a magnetic field traveling in a preselected direction relative to each point of said track with the magnetic flux vector of said field transverse to said track at all points, said drive means comprising a set of electromagnets spaced along said track, and a supply of alternating current connected to said electromagnets for exciting same in staggered phase relationship,
• further comprising means for producing charged particles and introducing same at the starting point of said track, and control means for pulsing said charged particle source in a preselected phase relationship with the travel of the magnetic field,
• wherein said electromagnets are provided with pole pieces having edges adjoining each other generally parallel to said track in the vicinity of said starting point and progressively approach perpendicularity to said centerline with increasing distance from said starting point.