• M.J. Bland, J. Clare, P. W. Wheeler
  University of Nottingham, Nottingham
• J.S. Przybyla
  EEV, Chelmsford, Essex

Accelerators used for experiments in high-energy physics require very high power radio frequency sources to provide the energy needed to accelerate the particles. The RF power needs to be stable and predictable such that any variation in the supplied RF power has a limited and acceptable impact on the accelerated beam quality. The output load specifications for high voltage DC power systems are becoming increasingly more demanding. In addition, the impact of such systems on the electricity source is becoming more tightly regulated through power quality directives. These regulations set limits, for example, on the allowable individual harmonic current amplitudes and on "flicker" caused by transient load demands - the latter is particularly important for "long-pulse" modulators. The requirements above have to be met while still providing higher reliability to a higher specification at lower cost. A situation has now been reached where modulators based on existing approaches cannot meet these specifications and stay within acceptable cost and size limits. This demands that new approaches be taken to provide the power supplies needed for such applications. The research proposed here addresses this need.