Skip to main content.
Welcome to the Virtual Visitor Center at SLAC

Virtual Visitor Center at SLAC

Klystron is a Microwave Generator

cutaway view of a magnetron from a microwave oven - about 4 inches squareCompare SLAC's large, high-power microwave generator (klystron - below) with this much smaller one (magnetron - right) from a typical microwave oven.

 

 

 

A klystron looks and works something like an organ pipe.

Organ pipe
Organ Pipe

In an organ pipe:

  • Blowing into the organ pipe produces a flow of air.
  • Flowing air excites vibrations in the cavity of the whistle.
  • The vibrations flow into the surrounding air as sound waves.

In a klystron:

  • The electron gun (1) produces a flow of electrons.
  • The bunching cavities (2) regulate the speed of the electrons so that they arrive in bunches at the output cavity.
  • The bunches of electrons excite microwaves in the output cavity (3) of the klystron.
  • The microwaves flow into the waveguide (4), which transports them to the accelerator.
  • The electrons are absorbed in the beam stop.(5)
A Klystron Klystron scale - 6 ft tall
Read more about the invention of the klystron.
Last update: