Portable, X-Band, Linear Accelerator Systems

Three light-weight, x-band, electron accelerators have been developed to provide a series of highly portable sources of x-rays and neutrons for nondestructive testing. The 1.5 MeV x-ray unit has a 200 kW magnetron for an RF source and an air-cooled, traveling wave accelerating structure to minimize Its weight. The 4 and 6 MeV units share the same drive system which contains a 1.2 MW magnetron. The 4 MeV unit uses a traveling-wave guide to produce x-rays and the 6MeV unit uses a standing-wave guide to produce x-rays or neutrons. The choice of 9.3 GHz was dictated by the availability of a high power coaxial magnetron and by the obvious dimensional and weight advantages of a higher frequency over the more common S-band frequencies around 3 GHz.