Testing pulse forming networks with DARHT accelerator cells

Summary form only given. The Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrotest Facility [DARHT] at Los Alamos will use two induction linacs to produce high-energy electron beams. The electron beams will be used to generate X-rays from a bremsstrahlung target. Those X-rays will be used to generate radiographs. The first accelerator is operational now, operating with a 60-nanosecond electron beam. The second accelerator is under construction. It will operate with a 2-microsecond electron beam. The 88 induction cells of the second axis accelerator will be driven by an equal number of pulse forming lines. Each pulse forming line generates a nominal 200 kV, 2-microsecond pulse to drive an accelerator cell. Each pulse forming line consists of a set of four pulse forming lines stacked in a Marx configuration. The PFN Test Stand was set up to test newly constructed accelerator cells under conditions of full voltage and pulse duration. The PFN Test Stand also explored jitter, prefire and reliability issues for a pulse forming lines operated into a dummy load. The PFN Test Stand provided experience operating a simple subsystem of the DARHT accelerator. This subsystem involved controls, diagnostics, data acquisition and archiving, power supplies, trigger systems, a gas flow system for the spark gaps and core reset. Issues for the DARHT accelerator were investigated on a small-scale facility.