Abstract: A close-coupled rf power system provides high peak rf power for a linear accelerator, or "linac", and other charged particle systems. The linac operates in a vacuum housing. Low level rf power is coupled inside of the vacuum housing by a conventional rf feedthrough connector. An input resonator cavity mounts on the side of the linac within the vacuum housing. The resonator cavity couples rf power to one or more amplifier assemblies, each including at least one planar triode mounted directly on the linac housing, proximate one end of the resonator cavity. The planar triode, in turn, generates a high power rf current at its respective anode. The high power rf current couples to the linac through a conductive loop operating at the anode potential. Anode cooling is provided by pumping a suitable fluid, such as de-ionized water, through the conductive loop. The high power rf current in the loop generates magnetic fields in the linac required for its operation.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and method are provided for the coherent amplification and injection of radio-frequency (rf) energy into a load cavity using a plurality of amplifier tubes. A plurality of strip line cavities (30, 32, 34, 36, 40, 42, 44) are laterally joined to define a continuous closed cavity (48), with an amplifier tube (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64) mounted within each resonant strip cavity. Rf energy is injected into the continuous cavity (48) from a single input (70) for coherent coupling to all of the amplifier tubes for amplification and injection into the load cavity (76).