Nanosecond and subnanosecond generation of intense electron beams through high-Tc superconducting tubes (supertrons)

In previous experiments, a double-layered high-Tc supercon-ducting tube (supertron) consisting of an inner bismuth-based powder-pressed pipe and an outer yttrium-based melt-processed pipe easily generated intense electron beams with a duration of 1.5 ns at 80 K. Based on a model for this pulse compression, we examined another modified double-layered tube to generate shorter pulses. The shortest pulse obtained, 2.4 ns at 70 K, demanded further modification to the configuration of the supertron to realize subnanosecond pulses.