A history of electron beam applications at Sandia National laboratories HAWK accelerator

Abstract

The use of electron beam accelerator systems is prevalent in industrial processing applications including cross-linking of polymers such as wire and cable insulation, curing of inks and coatings, food packaging, medical product sterilization and waste treatment. These applications require electron beam energies and currents which are enabled by a wide variety of conventional accelerator architectures [1-2]. These systems are typically dedicated to specific applications and are not easily extended for operations dramatically outside of their design envelope. The HAWK accelerator facility at Sandia National Laboratories was developed to support research programs requiring electron beam power levels well above those required by industrial processing rates. Research at the HAWK facility has included electron beam induced laser pumping, radiation processing and development of advanced hypersonic wind tunnel ground test technologies. This paper discusses the history and evolution of the HAWK accelerator system and the programs it has supported over the last several decades.