Sergey Kutsaev (RadiaBeam Technologies (United States))
First Beam Demonstration in Hand-Portable Battery-Operated 2 MeV Ku-band Split Linac
This talk reports on the design, fabrication, and beam testing of a novel 2 MeV Ku-band (15.14 GHz) traveling wave electron linear accelerator developed by RadiaBeam Technologies for a battery-powered, hand-portable X-ray generator intended for field radiography and non-destructive testing (NDT). The goal is to replace hazardous isotopes, such as Ir-192, Cs-137, and bulky betatrons with a compact, adjustable, and safer radiation source. The system achieves dramatic miniaturization by combining several innovations: use of a 250 kW peak power air-cooled magnetron for reduced accelerator size while maintaining sufficient beam energy; a split accelerating structure fabrication method, machining both halves of the structure in one piece to eliminate the need for post-brazing tuning, reduce manufacturing errors, and improve vacuum conductance; and an ultra-compact solid-state Marx modulator, weighing ~1.2 kg, operable from two Li-Ion batteries.