Electron beam accelerator with magnetic pulse compression and accelerator switching
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsDaniel L. Birx, Louis L. Reginato
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Abstract
An electron beam accelerator comprising an electron beam generator-injector to produce a focused beam of .gtoreq.0.1 MeV energy electrons; a plurality of substantially identical, aligned accelerator modules to sequentially receive and increase the kinetic energies of the beam electrons by about 0.1-1 MeV per module. Each accelerator module includes a pulse-forming network that delivers a voltage pulse to the module of substantially .gtoreq.0.1-1 MeV maximum energy over a time duration of .ltoreq.1 .mu.sec.
Claims13
A pulse-forming network for generating an initial voltage pulse of duration substantially one microsecond or greater and for reforming the pulse as a voltage pulse with a time duration of no more than 100 nanoseconds and pulse rise time and pulse fall time of at most 20 nanoseconds each and delivering tne pulse to a predetermined electrical load, the network comprising:
- a voltage pulse source having an output terminal and capable of producing a sequence of one or more output pulses of current at least 20 kamps, voltage at least 20 kV and pulse duration substantially one .mu.sec or greater;
- a first capacitor having two terminals, with one terminal thereof being grounded and with a second terminal being operatively associated with the output terminal of the voltage pulse source;
- a first saturable inductor having two terminals and with inductances satisfying L.sup.(unsat) /L.sup.(sat) .gtoreq.100, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with the second terminal of the first capacitor;
- a pulse transmission line having an associated impedance of substantially two ohms, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the first saturable inductor;
- a second saturable inductor having two terminals and with inductances satisfying L.sup.(unsat) /L.sup.(sat).gtoreq. 100, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the pulse transmission line and with a second terminal thereof electrically connected to a load;
- and
- a grounded, electrically conducting tube substantially surrounding the electrical connection between the second saturable inductor and the load.
A pulse-forming network for generating an initial voltage pulse of duration substantially one microsecond or greater and for reforming the pulse as a voltage pulse with a time duration of no more than 100 nanoseconds and pulse rise time and pulse fall time of at most 20 nanoseconds each and delivering the pulse to a predetermined electrical load, the network comprising:
- a voltage pulse source having an output terminal and being capable of producing a sequence of one or more pulses with current at least 20 kamps, voltage at least 20 kV and pulse duration substantially one .mu.sec or greater;
- an inductor having two terminals, with a first terminal thereof being connected to the output terminal of tne voltage pulse source;
- a first capacitor having two terminals, with one terminal thereof being grounded and a second terminal tnereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the inductor;
- a first saturable inouctor having two terminals, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the first capacitor;
- a second capacitor having two terminals, with a first terminal thereof being grounded and a second terminal operatively associated with a second terminal of the first saturable inductor;
- a second saturable inductor having two terminals, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with the second terminal of the second capacitor;
- a pulse transmission line having two terminals and associated impedance of substantially two ohms, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the second saturable inductor;
- a third saturable inductor having two terminals, with a first terminal thereof operatively associated with a second terminal of the pulse transmission line and with a second terminal thereof electrically connected to a load;
- and
- a grounded, electrically conducting tube substantially surrounding the electrical connection between the third saturable inductor and the load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.