Voltage Breakdown in S-Band Linear Accelerator Cavities

Voltage breakdown is one of the major limiting factors in the design of a high accelerating gradient linear accelerator structure. A multiple-use cavity test system was developed to establish the criteria for voltage breakdown in S-band pulsed electron linear accelerator cavities, in terms of cavity geometry, accelerating gradient, RF pulse shape and repetition rate, surface finish, temperature and external magnetic field. The experimental set-up and test procedure, as well as the experimental results, are presented.