A traveling wave X-band accelerating structure with low-beta front end for a compact inverse Compton scattering x-ray source

Smart*Light is a table-top inverse Compton scattering x-ray source under development at Eindhoven University of Technology. The linac-based source aims for a very compact design through the use of X-band technology operating at accelerating gradients exceeding 60 MV/m. The heart of the linac is an accelerating structure whose design is based on the T24 structure developed as a prototype for the Compact Linear Collider at CERN. Two changes have been made to the structure. The first change is a reduction in the length of the first cells to match the injected particle velocities and allow for capture of sub-relativistic electron bunches. The second change is the addition of extra cells to efficiently use the RF power that would otherwise be dissipated within a load, and therefore allowing for electron acceleration to energies of ~ ∼ 30 MeV. Here we present the design, manufacturing, and commissioning of the Smart*Light accelerating structure, together with an analysis of the generated x-rays showing that the parameters of the accelerated electron bunches are in good agreement with the design values.