Enhanced dielectric-wall linear accelerator
First Claim
1. A linear accelerator (linac), comprising:
- a first plane with a first flat planar conductor having a first central hole, and connected to a common potential;
a second plane adjacent to and parallel with the first plane and having a second flat planar conductor with a second central hole that shares an axis with said first central hole, and switchable to both said common potential and a high voltage potential;
a third plane adjacent to and parallel with the second plane and having a third flat planar conductor with a third central hole that shares said axis with said first and second central holes, and connected to a common potential;
a first dielectric volume that fills the space separating said first and second planar conductors and that comprises a first layered insulator assembly with a first dielectric constant;
a second dielectric volume that fills the space separating said second and third planar conductors and that comprises a second layered insulator assembly with a second dielectric constant that is substantially greater than the dielectric constant of said first material, wherein a substantial difference in electrical signal wavefront propagation velocity exists between the first and second dielectric volumes from the outside perimeters of the first through third flat planar conductors and their respective first through third central holes;
a laser directed to focus a fluence of photons on the outside edges of said first through third flat planar conductors for repeated initiation of a short circuit of a high voltage, wherein, an accelerating field is momentarily created in one direction along said axis through said first through third central holes; and
a dielectric sleeve fitted through the inside diameters of said first through third central holes as a hollow tube open to pass a particle beam along said axis;
wherein the dielectric sleeve comprises alternating layers of metals and dielectrics in planes orthogonal to said axis.
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Abstract
A dielectric-wall linear accelerator is enhanced by a high-voltage, fast e-time switch that includes a pair of electrodes between which are laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators. A high voltage is placed between the electrodes sufficient to stress the voltage breakdown of the insulator on command. A light trigger, such as a laser, is focused along at least one line along the edge surface of the laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators extending between the electrodes. The laser is energized to initiate a surface breakdown by a fluence of photons, thus causing the electrical switch to close very promptly. Such insulators and lasers are incorporated in a dielectric wall linear accelerator with Blumlein modules, and phasing is controlled by adjusting the length of fiber optic cables that carry the laser light to the insulator surface.
135 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A linear accelerator (linac), comprising:
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a first plane with a first flat planar conductor having a first central hole, and connected to a common potential; a second plane adjacent to and parallel with the first plane and having a second flat planar conductor with a second central hole that shares an axis with said first central hole, and switchable to both said common potential and a high voltage potential; a third plane adjacent to and parallel with the second plane and having a third flat planar conductor with a third central hole that shares said axis with said first and second central holes, and connected to a common potential; a first dielectric volume that fills the space separating said first and second planar conductors and that comprises a first layered insulator assembly with a first dielectric constant; a second dielectric volume that fills the space separating said second and third planar conductors and that comprises a second layered insulator assembly with a second dielectric constant that is substantially greater than the dielectric constant of said first material, wherein a substantial difference in electrical signal wavefront propagation velocity exists between the first and second dielectric volumes from the outside perimeters of the first through third flat planar conductors and their respective first through third central holes; a laser directed to focus a fluence of photons on the outside edges of said first through third flat planar conductors for repeated initiation of a short circuit of a high voltage, wherein, an accelerating field is momentarily created in one direction along said axis through said first through third central holes; and a dielectric sleeve fitted through the inside diameters of said first through third central holes as a hollow tube open to pass a particle beam along said axis; wherein the dielectric sleeve comprises alternating layers of metals and dielectrics in planes orthogonal to said axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A linear accelerator (linac), comprising:
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a plurality of Blumlein modules arranged in a coaxial stack; a high-voltage, fast rise-time switch that includes a pair of electrodes between which are laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators; means for applying a high voltage between the electrodes; and a light source focused along at least one line along the edge surface of said laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators extending between said electrodes, wherein the initiation of a surface breakdown is accomplished by a fluence of photons, thus causing the switch to electrically close very promptly; and a dielectric sleeve coaxially disposed within the coaxial stack of Blumlein modules that comprises a lamination of alternating sheets of electrically isolated conductors and insulators in a stack is such that each pair of conductor and insulator sheets has a thickness that does not exceed one millimeter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification