Linear accelerators

Abstract

Radio-frequency linear accelerators are used as injectors for synchrotrons and as stand-alone accelerators for the production of intense particle beams, thanks to their ability to accelerate high beam currents at high repetition rates. This lecture introduces their main features, reviewing the different types of accelerating structures used in linacs and presenting the main characteristics of linac beam dynamics. Building on these bases, the architecture of modern proton linear accelerators is presented with a particular emphasis on high-energy and high-beam-power applications.