Study of recirculating induction accelerator as drivers for heavy ion fusion

Conclusions This study has sharpened the focus for future recirculator studies. Future system studies should include end-to-end optimization, including the performance of the target, so that the beam energy and the ion mass, charge state, and final velocity all become optimization variables. Collision cross-sections and sputtering rates were estimated here and should be confirmed by careful measurements. Beam dynamic issues such as the growth rates of instabilities and of the transverse emittance all merit more study. Because the success of the more advanced designs hinges on high repetition rate modulators driving the induction cells, prototypes of increasing power and repetition rate should be tested. Likewise, the bending dipoles with compensating alternator Pulsers and superconducting bias fields should also be prototyped. The fundamental conclusions are that recirculators are feasible, that, for comparable technology, they are significantly cheaper than linear induction heavy ion accelerators, and that, with the cost associated with maturing technologies, a recirculator suitable for driving a fusion power plant can cost about $500M.