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Toroidal Pulse Transformer for the Next Linear Collider--Diversified Technologies, Inc., 35 Wiggins Avenue, Bedford, MA  01730-2314; 781-275-9444

Mr. Paul Brown, Principal Investigator, brown@divtecs.com 

Mr. Michael Kemkes, Business Official, kempkes@divtecs.com 

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-01ER83175

Amount:  $391,037

The Next Generation Linear Collider (NLC) will require 800 klystron modulators capable of providing 500 kV, 500 A pulses at 120 Hz.  The losses and non-ideal pulse characteristics inherent in currently available pulse transformers are a significant impediment to high performance, highly efficient modulator systems.  Further, modulator inefficiencies translate directly into increased operating costs.  This project will design, build, and assess a toroidal, low impedance pulse transformer for the NLC klystron modulators, which significantly improves on available designs.  Two full-scale designs will be constructed and tested with existing switch technologies, including a solid state switch.  Phase I analyzed the materials, design, and construction of a toroidal pulse transformer capable of achieving the NLC modulator requirements with high efficiency.  The design was assessed for cost, efficiency, and reliability within a NLC klystron modulator, and a full-scale, very high power, pulse transformer was designed for construction in Phase II.  Pulse transformer efficiency improvements of 20 – 50% (equivalent to overall power efficiency improvements of 3 – 10%) were shown to be realizable through this approach.  Two toroidal pulse transformers will be built and assessed in Phase II.  The first will be a quarter-scale model to verify the design and analysis and to demonstrate the commercial potential of this technology within the medical/industrial accelerator market.  Then, a full-scale NLC toroidal transformer will be built and tested at full NLC voltage and power at SLAC. 

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:  Pulsed power systems are increasingly important to new materials modification and treatment processes, such as plasma source ion implantation.  Cost effective, very high peak power systems may enable the development of new manufacturing and materials processing techniques across a wide range of industrial and medical applications, including semiconductor fabrication, medical treatment systems, radar, and food sterilization.