Model of a 5-MA Linear-Transformer-Driver Accelerator: Transmission-Line-Circuit Method and Three-Dimensional Field-Circuit Coupling Method

A 5-MA-LTD-based, high current accelerator is modeled using transmission line code. And the machine performances are presented for driving short-circuit loads,
$Z$
-pinch loads, and bremsstrahlung electron beam diodes. With simulation analysis, it is expected that the short-circuit load current can reach 4.7 MA in 100 ns with ±80 kV LTD charge voltage, and the peak of
$Z$
-pinch load current when the machine is conducted with a 0.45 mg wire-array can be high as 4.2 MA, the peak kinetic energy is 49 kJ, and the energy coupling efficiency is estimated as 38%. The physical model of the reflex triode load which is typical electron beam diode is presented in detail. By incorporating the physics-based reflex triode model into a 3-D transient electromagnetic model, the field-circuit coupling simulation can be performed and the results are compared with the circuit model. The results from these two methods are in good agreement. The peak load current when the machine is configured with a
$\sim 0.15~\Omega $
reflex triode load is ~2.8 MA. The energy coupling efficiency to the reflex triode load is 35.8%.