Beam dynamics in a long-pulse linear induction accelerator

The second axis of the Dual Axis Radiography of Hydrodynamic Testing (DARHT) facility produces up to four radiographs within an interval of 1.6 microseconds. It accomplishes this by slicing four micro-pulses out of a long 1.8-kA, 16.5-MeV electron beam pulse and focusing them onto a bremsstrahlung converter target. The long beam pulse is created by a dispenser cathode diode and accelerated by the unique DARHT Axis-II linear induction accelerator (LIA). Beam motion in the accelerator would be a problem for radiography. High frequency motion, such as from beam breakup instability, would blur the individual spots. Low frequency motion, such as produced by pulsed power variation, would produce spot to spot differences. In this article, we describe these sources of beam motion, and the measures we have taken to minimize it.