Overview of the planned research facility European Spallation Source as well as Science Village Scandinavia and the synchrotron facility MAX IV Laboratory.
The European Spallation Source (ESS) project is pioneering in the domain of sustainable high intensity proton linac. In January 20, 2015, it was announced that two agreements have been signed in Sept 2014 with the expectation of 10-20% energy saving.
One of the agreements was signed with a consortium consisting of Thales Industries^ and the American company Communications & Power Industries (CPI^) and the other with the provider of communication and electronic systems and products (L3^). If proven to work, the new technology could mean substantial, (million EUR-level), energy savings for the research facility and be a game-changer for the RF industry.
The cooperation agreement comprises the re-development of an old technology, i.e. IOT (Inductive Output Tube) to a potentially strong competitor to the currently developing technology such as the solid state (transistor) alternative. The development of pyrolytic graphite grid technology and the “on-the-shelf” availability of powerful solid-state RF amplifiers as pre-amplifiers are making the IOT of today a viable and advantageous alternative to the more traditional klystron technology.
Prototype development is underway. The production will begin in 2016, with delivery to CERN for testing in 2017 and early production of units delivered to ESS by 2019.