RADAN-EXPERT portable high-current accelerator

Abstract

We have developed a multipurpose portable (400/spl times/200/spl times/100 mm/sup 3/) high-current accelerator capable of operating from a usual power supply line (AC 220/120 V, 50-60 Hz) and autonomously from a built-in rechargeable battery (DC 12 V, 4.0 Ah). The weight of the device with such a battery is 8 kg. Sealed-off cold-cathode e-beam and X-ray tubes are used as the accelerator load. Simple replacement of the electron tube by an X-ray tube converts the e-beam accelerator to an X-ray apparatus. The high-voltage pulsed source is based on a Tesla transformer with a low-voltage primary circuit comprising a fast thyristor as a low-voltage switch. The device forms 150 kV (when operating with a tube), 2 ns pulses with a risetime of 0.5 ns and with a reprate of 15 pps. When the device operates as an accelerator, the electron energy is 150 keV and the pulsed beam current behind the foil runs into 1 kA. With the X-ray tube as a load, the device produces 0.35 milliroentgens per pulse at a distance of 500 mm. Applications for rapid radiography and precise spectral analysis of jewels and minerals are discussed.