The Astra repetitive-pulse electron accelerator

The description and results of tests of the Astra pulsed electron accelerator are presented. A high-voltage pulse transformer with a pseudospark gap that serves as a switch of a capacitive storage is directly loaded into a vacuum planar diode, which is based on a metal-ceramic cathode with a long delay time of the electron explosive emission. The generated electron beam is injected into the atmosphere at a frequency of 50 Hz. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) duration of the injected beam current is 60 ns for an accelerating voltage of 370 +/- 10 kV. The electron-beam energy is 19 J, when the accelerator operates into an internal target, and 4.5 J, when the electron beam is injected into the atmosphere and the low-energy fraction of beam electrons is cut off by a separating foil.