RF pulse compression and alternative RF sources for linear colliders

Future linear colliders will require a very high peak power per meter of accelerating structure at a relatively high frequency/endash/greater than 10 GHz/endash/but at a relatively short pulse length/endash/less than 100 ns. One technique for generating the required peak power is to use a more or less conventional microwave power source, which produces power at a pulse length typically on the order of 1 μs, together with RF pulse compression. Some parameters are given for a Binary Power Multiplier (BPM) pulse compression system operating at 17.1 GHz with an output pulse length of 60 ns. The peak power gain for a three stage system is estimated to be 6.6 (82% compression efficiency). Some possible long-pulse microwave sources which/endash/when coupled with such a pulse compression system/endash/would be suitable for driving a linear collider are briefly discussed. 13 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab