Progress on Diamond-Based Cylindrical Dielectric Accelerating Structures

The development of a high gradient diamond-based cylindrical dielectric loaded accelerator (DLA) is presented. A diamond-loaded DLA can potentially sustain accelerating gradients far in excess of the limits experimentally observed for conventional metallic accelerating structures. The electrical and mechanical properties of diamond make it an ideal candidate material for use in dielectric accelerators: high rf breakdown level, extremely low dielectric losses and the highest available thermoconductive coefficient. We used the hot-filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process to produce high quality 5-10 cm long cylindrical diamond layers. Our collaboration has also been developing a new method of CVD diamond surface preparation that reduces the secondary electron emission coefficient below unity. Special attention was paid to the numerical optimization of the waveguide to structure rf coupling section, where the surface magnetic and electric fields were minimized relative to the accelerating gradient and within known metal surface breakdown limits. We conclude with a brief overview of the use of diamond microstructures for use in compact rf sources