Development and production of a 1.3 GHz, 300 kW CW klystron

Abstract

Communications and Power Industries has designed and manufactured the VKL-7967A, a highefficiency, high CW power L-band klystron. The klystron operates at 1.3 GHz and is designed to saturate above 300 kW CW RF output with ≥65% efficiency. The users intend to operate in the linear range of the transfer curve and therefore required 270 kW CW RF output with ≥0.5dB/dB incremental gain and ≥52% minimum efficiency. Two klystrons have been manufactured and successfully tested. Their performance data are compared with the simulations performed during the design. IntroductionFor superconducting particle accelerators there is considerable demand for RF sources operating at 1.3 GHz. In order to meet the needs for the BerlinPro project [1] under construction at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (Germany) as well as the eLinac project [2] at TRIUMF (Vancouver, BC, Canada), Communications and Power Industries (CPI) has designed and thus far manufactured two units of the VKL-7967A klystron. While the klystron is designed to saturate above 300 kW CW RF output power with ≥65% efficiency, the customers intend to operate at 270 kW CW RF output in the more linear range of the transfer curve (incremental gain ≥0.5dB/dB) with 52% minimum efficiency. The klystron is not required to operate up to saturation but needs to demonstrate stable operation up to 290 kW CW RF output.