PROGRESS REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF A 3 MEV, DC, AMPERE INTENSITY ELECTRON BEAM RECIRCULATION SYSTEM*

Construction is underway on a 3 MV electrostatic accelerator designed to recirculate D.C. electron beams with intensities up to 4 amperes. The test facility includes a 3 MV, SF6 insulated vertical accelerator with parallel accelerator and decelerator tubes, diagnostic equipment, ang vacuum and beam line components to bend the beam 180 and return it to the terminal. Special consideration has been given to cathode, electron gun, electron collector, and optical design to allow beam recovery efficiency of better than 99.99 % at currents up to 4 amperes. Goals Numerous applications would benefit from the availability of a D.C. electron beam of an intensit