Pencil-like mm-size electron beams produced with linear inductive voltage adders

We present the design, analysis, and results of the high brightness electron beam experiments currently under investigation at Sandia National Laboratories. The anticipated beam parameters are the following: energy 12 MeV, current 35–40 kA, rms radius 0.5 mm, and pulse duration 40 ns full width at half-maximum. The accelerator is SABRE, a pulsed linear inductive voltage adder modified to higher impedance, and the electron source is a magnetically immersed foilless electron diode. 20–30 T solenoidal magnets are required to insulate the diode and contain the beam to its extremely small-sized (1 mm) envelope. These experiments are designed to push the technology to produce the highest possible electron current in a submillimeter radius beam. Design, numerical simulations, and experimental results are presented.