Development of multiple beam guns for high power RF sources

The next generation of accelerators will require RF sources producing many megawatts of RF power. Typically, such sources operate at voltages exceeding several hundred kV, requiring pulse modulators and significant amounts of x-ray shielding. In addition, electrical circuits must be designed to handle the high electrical stresses imposed by such high voltages. Multiple beam guns allow for dramatic reduction in the operating voltage while still allowing generation of high RF power levels. These devices have been developed for power levels up to several megawatts; however, significantly higher RF power levels will be required for new accelerators. This paper describes a program to extend the power level of multiple beam devices above 50 MW using doubly convergent electron guns with confined flow focusing