Description
The European XFEL project at DESY in Germany requires 27 RF stations capable of 10 MW RF power each. Each RF station needs one high voltage modulator that generates pulses up to 12 kV and 2 kA with a duration of 1.7 ms and a nominal repetition rate of 10 Hz.
DESY decided to investigate new modulator prototypes and Thomson has been awarded to design and build one of these prototype modulators.
The Thomson modulator is based on the pulse step modulator (PSM) principle. This technology allows the regulation of the pulse voltage during the pulses, thus achieving a good flatness.
The modulator was delivered to DESY in July 2008 and is under test at the modulator test facility in Zeuthen.
In the mean time an additional Thomson modulator of the same kind has been ordered and will be delivered to LAL Orsay in October 2010. This Thomson modulator will be integrated in a RF test bench required to condition and test the power couplers for the XFEL superconducting cavities.
The presentation gives an overview about the system design and enhanced PSM technology, the gained advantages and the test results as taken during testing at the modulator test facility at the DESY Zeuthen site.
Author
Mr
Marcel FREI
