Patent ID: 8598813

Claim:
A compact linear accelerator, comprising: one or more opto-electronic multipliers, each having a first electrode and a second electrode, the multipliers arranged one upon another alternating the multipliers' first and second electrodes along the axis of the accelerator, each of the opto-electric multipliers including: a switch section, having: a capacitor having a first terminal connected to receive and store a high voltage and a second terminal connected to ground/shield; and an optically activated switch including a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the capacitor to establish a high voltage gradient across the switch, and connectable to receive an optical signal and, in response thereto, supply an electromagnetic pulse at a second terminal of the switch; a pulse shaper having a first and a second transmission line elements connected to receive the output of the switch section, the first transmission line element connected to provide the output thereof; and a multiplier section having a plurality of transmission line transformers connected in a ladder-like arrangement, each receiving the output of the pulse shaper as bias voltage input and each transmission line transformer except the first of the ladder receiving as bias voltage input the output of the preceding transmission line transformer in the ladder, the output of the last of the transmission line transformers being connected to the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is connected to ground/shield.