A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure

Persaud, A.; Ji, Q.; Feinberg, E.; Seidl, P. A.; Waldron, W. L.; Schenkel, T.; Lal, A.; Vinayakumar, K. B.; Ardanuc, S.; Hammer, D. A.

doi:10.1063/1.4984969

Title: A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure

Journal Article · 08 June 2017 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4984969 · OSTI ID:1436154

^[1]; Ji, Q. ^[1]; Feinberg, E. ^[1]; Seidl, P. A. ^[1]; Waldron, W. L. ^[1]; Schenkel, T. ^[1]; Lal, A. ^[2]; Vinayakumar, K. B. ^[2];

^[2];

^[2]

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). SonicMEMS Laboratory

Here, a new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure is presented. The new accelerator architecture is based on the Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerator (MEQALAC) structure that was first developed in the 1980s. The MEQALAC utilized RF resonators producing the accelerating fields and providing for higher beam currents through parallel beamlets focused using arrays of electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs). While the early work obtained ESQs with lateral dimensions on the order of a few centimeters, using a printed circuit board (PCB), we reduce the characteristic dimension to the millimeter regime, while massively scaling up the potential number of parallel beamlets. Using Microelectromechanical systems scalable fabrication approaches, we are working on further red ucing the characteristic dimension to the sub-millimeter regime. The technology is based on RF-acceleration components and ESQs implemented in the PCB or silicon wafers where each beamlet passes through beam apertures in the wafer. The complete accelerator is then assembled by stacking these wafers. This approach has the potential for fast and inexpensive batch fabrication of the components and flexibility in system design for application specific beam energies and currents. For prototyping the accelerator architecture, the components have been fabricated using the PCB. In this paper, we present proof of concept results of the principal components using the PCB: RF acceleration and ESQ focusing. Finally, ongoing developments on implementing components in silicon and scaling of the accelerator technology to high currents and beam energies are discussed.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1436154

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1361922

Journal Information:: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 88, Issue 6; ISSN 0034-6748

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 10 works

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Retrospective of the ARPA-E ALPHA Fusion Program Nehl, C. L.; Umstattd, R. J.; Regan, W. R. Journal of Fusion Energy, Vol. 38, Issue 5-6 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-019-00226-4	journal	October 2019
Source-to-accelerator quadrupole matching section for a compact linear accelerator Seidl, P. A.; Persaud, A.; Ghiorso, W. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 89, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5023415	journal	May 2018
Demonstration of waferscale voltage amplifier and electrostatic quadrupole focusing array for compact linear accelerators Vinayakumar, K. B.; Ardanuc, S.; Ji, Q. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 125, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5091979	journal	May 2019
Retrospective of the ARPA-E ALPHA fusion program Nehl, C. L.; Umstattd, R. J.; Regan, W. R. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1907.09921	text	January 2019