The Next Linear Collider test accelerator's RF pulse compression and transmission systems

The overmoded RF transmission and pulsed power compression system for SLAC's Next Linear Collider (NLC) program requires a high degree of transmission efficiency and mode purity to be economically feasible. To this end, a number of new, high power components and systems have been developed at X-band, which transmit RF power in the low loss, circular TE01 mode with negligible mode conversion. In addition, a highly efficient SLED-II pulse compressor has been developed and successfully tested at high power. The system produced a 200 MW, 250 ns wide pulse with a near-perfect flat-top. In this paper we describe the design and test results of the high power pulse compression system using SLED-II.