Highly Stabilized Electron Accelerators for Electron Microscopy at Extra-High Voltages

Interest in higher voltages for electron microscopy was stimulated by the successful operation of the world´s most powerful electron microscope operating at a maximum voltage of 1.5 MV. Other installations have since been built covering the voltage range of 500 kV to 1 MV. A 1 MeV electron accelerator of the new pressurized type design is being constructed. The dc power supply and the accelerator are housed in separate pressure vessels and connected by a shielded high voltage cable. Projects involving electron accelerators up to 4 MeV are now under consideration.