Development of RF linac for high-current applications

High-current proton linacs are promising sources of neutrons for material processing and research applications. Recently, a linac design that makes use of a combination of normal-conducting (NC) and superconducting (SC) linac technologies has been proposed for the US Accelerator Production of Tritium Project. As a result, a multi-year engineering development and demonstration (ED and D) program is underway. In this paper, the authors will describe the design and merits of the NC/SC hybrid approach. The scope, technology issues, and present status of the ED and D Program, and the participation of industry will also be described.