Characterization of a klystrode as a RF source for high-average-power accelerators

The klystrode is a relatively new type of RF source that has demonstrated DC-to-RF conversion efficiencies in excess of 70% and a control characteristic uniquely different from those for klystron amplifiers. The different control characteristic allows the klystrode to achieve this high conversion efficiency while still providing a control margin for regulation of the accelerator cavity fields. We present test data from a 267-MHz, 250-kW, continuous-wave (CW) klystrode amplifier and contrast this data with conventional klystron performance, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of the klystrode technology for accelerator applications. We present test results describing that limitation for the 250-kW, CW klystrode and extrapolate the data to other frequencies. A summary of the operating regime explains the clear advantages of the klystrode technology over the klystron technology