Undergraduate Research at Jefferson Lab

Vertical Slice Magnetron

Student: Alex Kerr

School: University of Virginia

Mentored By: Kevin Jordan

Particle accelerators use high-power radio frequencies (RF) to accelerate particle beams to nearly the speed of light. Despite being costly and inefficient, klystrons are well suited to the task of generating high-power RF and have been the industry standard for decades. Developing better performing alternatives has great potential. Although they generate RF far more efficiently, magnetrons could not previously reach the necessary power thresholds, making them poor substitutes in accelerators. However, recent research has theoretically proven magnetrons to be capable of powering an accelerator cryomodule. To prepare for a future demonstration, components of a magnetron were modeled, assembled, and installed in a test stand. Now connected to waveguides, testing the magnetron setup can begin soon. A successful demonstration of a magnetron's ability to power accelerators can pave the way for a generation of cheaper, more sustainable, and accessible accelerator technology for research, medical, and industrial applications.