Next‐Generation Electron Linear Accelerators for Compact Accelerator‐Driven Neutron Sources

ABSTRACT Global access to neutron scattering is under increasing pressure as research reactors close and demand for spallation sources outpaces supply. Compact accelerator‐driven neutron sources (CANSs) offer a pathway to more distributed access, yet current designs are often limited by scale, cost, and performance, and no turnkey solutions presently exist. This work explores the potential of next‐generation CANS based on high‐gradient electron linear accelerators that leverage technology originally developed for high‐energy physics applications. By combining mature ‐, ‐, and ‐band RF structures with commercially available RF power sources and compact injectors, we identify and evaluate accelerator configurations capable of delivering tens of MeV, kilowatt‐scale electron beams within a few meters of linac length and at accessible cost. To ground the study, we optimize the accelerator in line with the requirements of VULCAN, a concept for a turnkey CANS‐based facility optimized for stress diffractometry and suitable for industrial and university environments. We show that competitive neutron yields and spectra can be attained while maintaining compactness and affordability. These findings open up a previously unexplored region of the CANS design space and highlight the potential of high‐gradient accelerator technology to democratize access to neutron scattering through a new generation of compact, affordable, and high‐performance neutron facilities.