Experimental evaluation of 350 MHz RF accelerator windows for the Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator

Radio frequency (RF) windows are historically a point where failure occurs in input power couplers for accelerators. To obtain a reliable, high-power, 350 MHz RF window for the Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator (LEDA) project of the Accelerator Production of Tritium program, RF window prototypes from different vendors were tested. Experiments were performed to evaluate the RF windows by the vendors to select a window for the LEDA project. The Communications and Power Industries, Inc. (CPI) windows were conditioned to 445 kW in roughly 15 hours. At 445 kW a window failed, and the cause of the failure will be presented. The EEV windows were conditioned to 944 kW in 26 hours and then tested at 944 kW for 4 hours with no indication of problems.