The marriage of Induction Linac technology with Nonlinear Magnetic Modulators has produced some unique capabilities. It appears possible to produce electron beams with average currents measured in amperes, at gradients exceeding 1 MeV/meter, and with power efficiencies approaching 50%. A 2 MeV, 5 kA electron accelerator has been constructed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to d...

The increased interests in upgrading the ATA accelerator has warranted a preliminary look at applying the magnetic drivers to achieve both higher energy and higher average power. The goal of this upgrade is to satisfy the FEL requirements and to keep the capability of producing a higher current beam for CPB experiments at reduced energy. ATA Note 247 showed that a possible solution to obtain higher energy was simply to add additional cells, run them at higher voltage and accept a 30 ns pulse width with about 5% energy variation. Considering the recent history of the cells and the doubling of the voltage stress that would be required at the insulator, it seemed prudent to review the overall system reliability and try a different approach.

The marriage of induction linac technology with Nonlinear Magnetic Modulators has produced some unique capabilities. It appears possible to produce electron beams with average currents measured in amperes, at gradients exceeding 1 MeV/m, and with power efficiencies approaching 50%. A 2 MeV, 5 kA electron accelerator is under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to allow us to demonstrate some of these concepts. Progress on this project is reported here.

The High Brightness Test Stand is a 2 MeV, ≤10 kA electron accelerator module. This accelerator module which was designed as an upgrade prototype for the Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) combines solid state nonlinear magnetic drives with state-of-the-art induction linac technology. The facility serves a dual role as it not only provides a test bed for this new technology but is used to develop high brightness electron optics. In the following we will both further describe the accelerator as well as present some of the preliminary electron optics measurements.

In anticipation of current and future needs for the Particle Beam Program and other programs at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, we are continuing efforts in the development of high-repetition-rate magnetic pulse compressors that use ferromagnetic metallic glasses, both in the linear and very high saturation rates. These devices are ideally suited as drivers for linear induction accelerators, where duty factor or average repetition rates (hundred of hertz) requirements exceed the parameters that can be achieved by pulse compression using spark gaps. The technique of magnetic pulse compression has been with use for several decades, but relatively recent developments in rapidly quenched magnetic metals of very thin cross sections, has led to the development of state-of-the-art magnetic pulse compressors with very high peak power, repetition rates, and reliability. This paper will describe results of recent experiments and the relevant electrical and mechanical properties of magnetic pulse compressors to achieve high efficiency and reliability.