Testing and Implementation Progress on the Advanced Photon Source (APS) Linear Accelerator (Linac) High-Power S-band Switching System

TL;DR

This paper reports on the development and testing of a high-power S-band switching system for the APS linear accelerator, enhancing reliability and operational flexibility for particle acceleration and FEL applications.

Contribution

It introduces a revised waveguide-switching system design with multiple redundancies and discusses recent testing and implementation progress for the APS Linac high-power system.

Findings

Successful high-power testing of the switching system

Implementation of redundant modulator-klystron subsystems

Enhanced system reliability and operational flexibility

Abstract

An S-band linear accelerator is the source of particles and the front end of the Advanced Photon Source injector. In addition, it supports a low-energy undulator test line (LEUTL) and drives a free-electron laser (FEL). A waveguide-switching and distribution system is now under construction. The system configuration was revised to be consistent with the recent change to electron-only operation. There are now six modulator-klystron subsystems, two of which are being configured to act as hot spares for two S-band transmitters each, so that no single failure will prevent injector operation. The two subsystems are also used to support additional LEUTL capabilities and off-line testing. Design considerations for the waveguide-switching subsystem, topology selection, control and protection provisions, high-power test results, and current status are described