A new, high gradient insulator technology has been developed for accelerator systems. The concept involves the use of alternating layers of conductors and insulators with periods of order 1 mm or less. These structures perform many times better (about 1.5 to 4 times higher breakdown electric field) than conventional insulators in long pulse, short pulse, and alternating polarity applications. We describe our ongoing studies investigating the degradation of the breakdown electric field resulting from alternate fabrication techniques, the effect of gas pressure, the effect of the insulator-to-electrode interface gap spacing, and the performance of the insulator structure under bi-polar stress

The high gradient insulator has been demonstrated to operate at levels comparable or better than special geometry or coated insulators. Some patented insulator configurations allow for sophisticated accelerator structures, high power flow interfaces, and microwave applications not previously possible. Sophisticated manufacturing techniques available at AlliedSignal FM&T made this development possible. Bipolar and high power flow applications are specially suited for present insulator designs. The insulator shows a beneficial effect when used under RF fields or RF structures. These insulators can be designed, to a first approximation, from simple electron flight path equations. With a model of surface flashover physics we completed a set of design calculations that include effects such as layer density and dielectric/metal thickness. Experimental data, obtained in the last few years of development, is presented and reviewed. Several insulator fabrication characteristics, indicating critical design parameters, are also presented.

We have recently initiated an investigation of electron emission from ferroelectric cathodes. Our experimental apparatus consisted of an electron diode and a 250 kV, 12 Ω, 70 ns pulsed high voltage power source. A planar triode modulator driven by a synthesized waveform generator initiates the polarization inversion and allows inversion pulse tailoring. The pulsed high voltage power source is capable of delivering two high voltage pulses within 50 μs of each other and is capable of operating at a sustained repetition rate of 5 Hz. Our initial measurements indicate that emission current densities above the Child-Langmuir space charge limit, JCL, are possible. We explain this effect to be based on a non-zero initial energy of the emitted electrons. We also determined that this effect is strongly coupled to relative timing between the inversion pulse and application of the main anode-cathode pulse. We also have initiated brightness measurements of the emitted beam and estimate a preliminary lower bound to be on the order of 109 A/m2rad2. As in our previous measurements at this Laboratory, we performed the measurement using a pepper pot technique. Beamlet profiles are recorded with a fast phosphor and gated cameras. We describe our apparatus and preliminary measurements.