Compact accelerator

A compact linear accelerator, comprising:

• a Blumlein module having:
• a first planar conductor strip having a first end connected to a ground potential, and a second end adjacent an acceleration axis;
• a second planar conductor strip adjacent to and parallel with the first planar conductor strip, said second planar conductor strip having a first end switchable between the ground potential and a high voltage potential and a second end adjacent the acceleration axis;
• a third planar conductor strip adjacent to and parallel with the second planar conductor strip, said third planar conductor strip having a first end connected to a ground potential and a second end adjacent the acceleration axis;
• a first dielectric strip that fills the space between the first and second planar conductor strips, and comprising a first dielectric material with a first dielectric constant;
• and
• a second dielectric strip that fills the space between the second and third planar conductor strips, and comprising a second dielectric material with a second dielectric constant;
• high voltage power supply means connected to charge said second planar conductor strip to a high potential;
• and
• switching means for switching the high potential in the second planar conductor strip to at least one of the first and third planar conductor strips so as to initiate a propagating reverse polarity wavefront(s) in the corresponding dielectric strip(s),
• wherein the strip configuration of the Blumlein module guides an electrical signal wave propagated therethrough from the first end to the second end in order to control an output pulse produced at the second end.