The ILC Marx Modulator Development Program at SLAC

The International Linear Collider [ILC] baseline design requires 576 L-band klystron stations, each supplying 10MW peak RF power to the accelerating structures. Each klystron requires a modulator capable of delivering 120kV, 140A 1.6ms pulses, at 5Hz. Solid-state Marx modulator topologies are rapidly becoming feasible with the advent of PC-board-level 4500V IGBTs, fast single junction HV diodes, high density capacitors, and sophisticated modeling software. Making full use of recent technology advances, the ILC Marx Modulator program at SLAC plans to pursue a 120kV solid-state Marx design, which appears to offer significantly higher efficiency, availability, and cost savings than existing modulator options