Twin-Tank Accelerator for High-Voltage Electron Microscopy (HVEM)

HVEM has become a useful method of research in metallurgy and biology. It was necessary to develop special electron accelerators for the supply of these high-voltage microscopes. In view of ac interference problems with air-insulated accelerators, a commercial 1 MV twin-tank accelerator was introduced in 1967. The voltage in this basic model was extended to 1.5 MV and stability improved from ± 1 x 10-5 to ± 1 x 10-6. The future requirements of the electron microscopists, which are directed towards even higher accelerating voltages and greater stability, can also be met by the principles of the symmetrical cascade generator and twin-tank accelerator.