Research on multiple-beam induction linacs for heavy ion inertial fusion

Summary Form only given, as follows. Since October 1983, research in the US toward the development of a heavy ion inertial fusion driver has focused on the multiple-beam induction linac. The Heavy Ion Fusion Accelerator Research program is addressing the key issues of induction linacs through theory and simulation and a sequence of experiments of increasing scale and sophistication. The economic viability of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's (LBL's) approach was confirmed in a recent assessment. Theoretical work is continuing on this and other induction linac accelerator concepts. This includes studies of the fundamental physics of space-charge-dominated beam transport and acceleration and of the economics of the various approaches to a heavy ion inertial fusion driver. Experimental research in progress at LBL comprises three activities: (a) a single-beam transport experiment for studying collective phenomena in ion beam transport; (b) the multiple-beam induction linac experiment, MBE-4, which accelerates four parallel, separately focused beams of cesium ions from 0.2 to 1 MeV; and (c) development of a 16-beam, pulsed, 2-MV injector. A major activity has been the development of a physics and engineering design for a larger experiment to test (in a scaled way) almost all of the manipulations needed in a full-scale driver.<>