Experts in Pulsed Radio Frequency from 14 laboratories worldwide gathered at MAX IV from 18-20 September 2023 to discuss and exchange experiences, challenges, and knowledge regarding klystrons, modulators, and RF components. Pulsed RF power for a laboratory, such as MAX IV and other similar facilities, is one of the most essential components for the laboratory’s research activity. The facility’s performance relies heavily on Pulsed RF Power maintenance and developments.
During the workshop, challenges, experiences, and solutions from the different laboratories were openly discussed by the thirty-one RF power specialists representatives from laboratories around Europe, North America, and Asia. The participants also had the opportunity to tour the MAX IV facility on the first day of the program. Besides the technical-scientific level that aims to create solutions with experts in the field, increased collaboration between laboratories in RF Pulse is instrumental to the scientific and technical developments and maintenance of the laboratories’ machinery.
“The exchange of experience in the field of RF power and the fruitful discussions created a clearer idea about the quality and quantity of important RF power components. A clarified list of manufacturers worldwide for these components also helps create efficient ways of maintaining these systems,” explained Dionis Kumbaro, workshop chair and MAX IV research engineer.
“Potential collaboration between several laboratories to develop an inexpensive and compact solution for measuring the live HV stability for the klystron voltage and potentially calculated the pulse energy directly in a klystron arc was one of the main takeaways from the workshop,” said Carl Beard, High Power RF Engineer at the Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland. “I would also like to extend our gratitude to the Workshop committee for the excellent organisation, and to MAX IV for the hospitality”, said Beard.
The Pulsed High-Power RF Workshop has been held annually since 2019. “Based on the experience we have gained and the results achieved for the past four years, it has been decided that the workshop will be held every two years. The next workshop will take place at the Elettra Sincrotrone laboratory in Trieste, Italy,” said Kumbaro.
