[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] #Vitzro Nextech Co., LTD announced on the 22nd that its self-developed 80MW-class S-band klystron (model K20864) has successfully completed a one-hour continuous operation performance certification test at the main facility of the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL-XFEL).

This test is a follow-up achievement that verifies the applicability of the device in an actual accelerator operating environment, following last year’s announcement of the commercialization of the domestically produced klystron. The company explained that it completed one hour of continuous operation in the PAL-XFEL L3-S1 sector under conditions of 2.856 GHz S-band, 80 MW output, a 4-microsecond (μs) pulse width, and a 60 Hz repetition rate.

A klystron is a high-power vacuum tube amplifier that converts and amplifies the energy of a high-voltage electron beam into microwave (RF) energy; it serves as a core RF power source for synchrotron light sources, free-electron lasers, and heavy-ion accelerators.

Vitzro Nextech Co., LTD was selected in 2016 for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Accelerator Core Technology Development Project and began domestic development in collaboration with the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. A total of 2.89 billion won was invested, comprising 1.85 billion won in government grants and 1.04 billion won in corporate investment. The company has continued to enhance performance through its own investment even after the government project concluded.

With this performance certification, the company plans to establish itself as a domestic reference for core RF power sources for accelerators and expand its product lineup to include small- and medium-capacity klystrons and high-power RF equipment. It also intends to broaden its application areas to include medical radiation therapy systems (LINACs), industrial electron beam irradiation devices, long-range radar, satellite communications, and high-power microwave-based anti-drone systems.

A Vitzro Nextech Co., LTD official stated, “Stable mass production and performance enhancement of high-power klystrons require the establishment of high-cost infrastructure, such as dedicated processing test facilities,” adding, “With systematic investment and cooperation, this will not only contribute to achieving self-reliance in the supply chain for core accelerator components but also expand applications into the medical, industrial, and defense sectors.”

Lee Byung-ho, CEO of Vitzro Nextech Co., LTD, remarked, “This performance certification of the PAL-XFEL main facility is highly significant in that it validates the applicability of domestically produced klystrons in actual accelerator operating environments,” and “Based on our capabilities in the design, manufacturing, and testing of high-capacity klystrons accumulated over the past 10 years, we will contribute to the self-reliance of the domestic accelerator supply chain and expand our business opportunities into high-power microwave application fields such as healthcare, industry, and defense,” he said.