Publicatie: 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 X-band accelerating structure whose design is based on the T24 structure developed as a prototype for the Compact Linear Collider. To allow for the capture and acceleration of sub-relativistic electron bunches to energies of ∼ 30 MeV two adjustments have been made to the structure: the first is a reduction in the length of the first cells to match the injected particle velocities, and the other is to add additional cells to efficiently use RF power that would otherwise be dissipated within a load. Here we present the design, manufacturing, and commissioning of the Smart*Light X-band accelerating structure.