Engineering PapersSearch

DOE OSTI · 3383056

Efficient continuous-wave normal conducting accelerator for industrial applications

Abstract

A normal conducting, high power, high efficiency copper linear accelerator prototype is being developed for industrial applications. The system will be powered by low-cost high-efficiency magnetron RF sources and will use a gridded thermionic cathode electron gun. Leveraging the significant accelerator expertise at JLab and industry partners, these technologies will be combined to deliver high-power (>100 kW) electron beams with energies of 1 MeV or higher that are cost-effective to produce and operate. The design is modular such that energy and power can be increased by adding additional sections as required. The status of the design, prototype fabrication and plans for a beam demonstration at JLab are described.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Rimmer, R. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Wang, H. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Armstrong, J. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Jordan, K. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Marchlik, M. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Dion, M. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Wang, S. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)], Jing, C. [Euclid Techlabs LLC, Cleveland, OH (United States)], Gomez, E. [Euclid Techlabs LLC, Cleveland, OH (United States)], Kostin, R. [Euclid Techlabs LLC, Cleveland, OH (United States)], Hannon, F. [Phase Space Tech], Hwu, J. [Innosys], Hwu, Y. [Innosys], Sadwick, L. [Larry Sadwick]. 2026-01-01. Efficient continuous-wave normal conducting accelerator for industrial applications. https://doi.org/10.18429/jacow-napac2025-wep030

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related reports

Transverse BBU Suppression with Feedback for Energy-Recovery Linacs

The Electron–Ion Collider (EIC) achieves its design luminosity by cooling the ion beam with a high-current electron beam generated in an energy-recovery linac (ERL). The baseline ERL lattice employs a BNL five-cell cavity that is frequency-scaled to 197 MHz, 591 MHz, and 1.773 GHz, raising concerns about multibunch beam-breakup (BBU) instabilities. Threshold currents for each frequency option are established with two independent BBU tracking codes, providing cross-validated operating margins that guide cavity selection. To further increase the current limit, we incorporate a digital transverse feedback (FB) system that targets the dominant higher-order modes (HOMs). Simulations show the FB raises the BBU threshold by roughly an order of magnitude: power-spectral-density analysis of the beam centroid at the linac exit confirms strong suppression of the aliased HOM peak, although some spectral growth appears at secondary frequencies. This combined study quantifies baseline BBU limits, demonstrates effective active mitigation, and charts a practical path toward robust, high-current operation of the EIC ERL.

Accelerator Physics

A reactive ferroelectric tuner for microphonics compensation

Jefferson Lab (JLab) is actively pursuing an extensive research program focused on developing advanced Nb₃Sn superconducting technology for particle accel-eration. Due to the brittle nature of Nb₃Sn coatings, a Ferroelectric Tuner (FRT) currently represents the most viable approach for microphonics compensation in these next-generation cavities. We suggest a novel, fast-responding FRT integrated directly into the main coupler, eliminating the need for an additional RF port. Leveraging a unique RF design based on a magic-T configuration, this advanced FRT will enable micro-phonics compensation in the ±30 Hz range without undesirable changes to the external quality factor.

Accelerator Physics

Lifetime extension of legacy CEBAF LLRF hardware

A significant portion of the Low-Level Radio Frequency (LLRF) hardware in Jefferson Lab’s CEBAF is from the original construction of the facility using 1980’s CAMAC technology. Of the fifty-three zones in CEBAF, thirty-six of them are legacy hardware. The age of the legacy system has led to difficulties in maintaining the hardware due to parts going obsolete without suitable drop in replacements. Continued operation of the legacy system is required as the installation of LLRF 3.0 systems is costly and cannot be completed in a short period of time with the available resources. The most pressing failure in the legacy system was a failing buffer card, which is responsible for communication between the EPICs network and individual RF control modules. A new buffer card was designed as a transparent, drop in, replacement so that upgrades are simply a matter of swapping the existing legacy hardware. This buffer card upgrades a single point failure component and promises to extend the operable lifetime of CEBAF’s legacy systems.

Accelerator Physics