Variable Energy 2-MeV S-Band Linac for X-ray and Other Applications

This paper describes the design and operation of a compact, 2-MeV, S-band linear accelerator (linac) with variable energy tuning and short-pulse operation down to 15 ps with 100-A peak current. The design consists of a buncher cavity for short-pulse operation and two coupled resonator sections for acceleration. Single-pulse operation is accomplished through a fast injector system with a 219-MHz subharmonic buncher. The machine is intended to support a variety of applications, such as x-ray and electron beam diagnostic development, and recently, electron diffraction studies of phase transitions in shocked materials