Design and initial operation of LELIA induction accelerator

Abstract

The objective of the LELIA program is to produce a high-brightness and high-average-power electron beam for FEL applications. Therefore a linear induction accelerator is under development at CESTA. As a first step, a prototype induction cell has been constructed and tested in order to check its mechanical design feasibility and experimental electrical response, gap geometry and vacuum technology. Moreover, by the end of 1990, an injector will operate with the following parameters: 1.5 MeV beam energy; 1/5 kA beam current; 60 ns flat-top pulse with a few Hz repetition rate capability. An osmium dispenser cathode will produce the high-current-density electron beam. Numerical simulations have also been processed in order to study the beam cavity coupling, minimize the beam breakup (BBU) instability, and optimize the injector electrode configuration. To drive the induction cells a high-power pulse generator has been developed. It consists of two parts: (i) a command resonant charging system (CRCS), (ii) a pulse-forming and magnetic compression device (MAG). Initially the CRCS was tested with a resistive load and the MAG with a spark-gap driver. These preliminary experiments have been successful and the high-voltage flat top has been further improved by charging the MAG-forming line in the middle. A new generator including a cooling system, designed for high-repetition operation, is now under construction.