Handling High Power Electron Beams

In recent years accelerators have been designed and built which produce beams of extremely high power, current, and charge-per-pulse. The handling of these beams presents a number of difficult problems. Among these problems are: removal of large heat flux, fatigue failure of components due to pulsed nature of the beam, radiation damage of materials, corrosion, residual radioactivity, and chemical effects such as radiolysis of water and production of noxious gases. Consideration of these problems strongly influences the overall design of beam handling systems, as well as the designs of specific components. Examples of the problems encountered and the solutions adopted in various electron accelerator labatories will be discussed.