Klystron modulator operation and upgrades for the APS linac

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) linac requires five 100-MW modulators to achieve its required energy. In-house construction of these modulators was under an extremely compressed time schedule and, while the original design was successful, it had a few shortcomings. The operation of the modulators was hindered by excessively sensitive controls and overheating during the hot summer months. The system underwent minor changes that resulted in major improvements. Additionally, improvements have been made to the high voltage circuits to improve the rise time of the output pulse shape, reduce the initial ringing of the pulse, and enhance the reliability of the system. This paper will outline the changes and explain the results of the improvements