On April 2nd, SESAME’s two new Solid State Modulators (SSMs) for its Microtron came into operation. They replace the Microtron PFN- (Pulse Forming Networks) based modulator previously used in the Microtron system.
These SSMs were constructed by ScandiNova in Uppsala (Sweden) and were generously funded by Italy’s National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and Switzerland’s Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
They offer higher reliability, better stability, and greater efficiency in power transmission to the electron gun (the source of the electrons in the Microtron) and Magnetron (the source of the accelerating Radio Frequency power in the Microtron). Thanks to these SSMs, the big concern created by the unavailability of spare parts for the PFN-based modulator has been overcome.
Now that these new SSMs have been installed, all the critical parts of the Microtron have been refurbished, thus bringing SESAME’s injector to a higher level of performance.