E-field measurement of a pulse line ion accelerator

Abstract

The E-field of pulse line ion accelerator (PLIA) is unique with high frequency (∼MHz), large magnitude (∼MV/m), and limited measuring space (∼cm). The integrated optical E-field sensor (IOES) has remarkable advantages and has been used for PLIA E-field measurement. Firstly, the transfer function of the IOES has been calibrated to ensure measurement accuracy. The time-domain response illustrates that the sensor has a fast dynamic performance to effectively follow a 4 ns rising edge. Then, the E-field distribution along the axis and near the insulator surface of the PLIA was measured, showing that propagation of the E-field is almost lossless and the E-field near the insulation surface is about 1.1 times larger than that along the axis, which is in accordance with the simulation result.