Optimal Radio-Frequency Power Distribution in a Linear Accelerator Using Beam Energy Measurements

A linear accelerator, including several radio-frequency (RF) stations, can be viewed as one virtual RF station with a certain RF voltage (in amplitude and phase). This paper proposes an optimization scheme that, for a specified total beam energy gain, determines the klystrons output powers as well as the modulators high voltages optimally. The algorithm employs the nonlinear static characteristics curves of klystrons to determine analytically the input RF amplitude of the drive chain. The proposed algorithm facilitates the klystron operating point setting with an automatic procedure for the desired energy gain of a linac.