X-band dielectric loaded traveling-wave acceleration structure

We report on the construction, numerical modeling and experimental testing of a traveling-wave acceleration structure based on a dielectric-lined circular waveguide. This type of structure has similar acceleration properties to disk-loaded metal slow wave structures but with some distinct advantages in terms of simplicity of fabrication, suppression of parasitic wakefield effects, and having no dark current. Efficient coupling of external RF power to the cylindrical dielectric waveguide is a technical challenge, particularly to structures loaded with very high dielectric constant materials. We have designed and constructed an 11.4 GHz structure loaded with ceramic with dielectric constant of 20, to be powered by an external RF power source. High efficiency RF coupling has been achieved using a combination of a tapered dielectric end section and a carefully adjusted coupling slot. Bench tests using a network analyzer have demonstrated a power coupling efficiency in excess of 95% with bandwidth of 30 MHz, and vacuum tests have also shown that this dielectric loaded structure can be operated in an ultra-high vacuum environment. Thus, this work provides a necessary basis for construction of an accelerator using this kind of structure. We have also simulated the parameters of this structure using MAFIA. Within the limits of the approximations used, the results are in agreement with the bench measurements