As a result of being recommended by AS staff, Australian company Tomco Technologies has sold two RF amplifiers to Japan.

When Toshiba asked AS radio-frequency engineer Karl Zingre to help them find a suitable RF (radio-frequency), high-power, sold-state amplifier for a new project, Karl presented them with a list of the pros and cons of available technologies – and a recommendation for Tomco Technologies. Karl knew about Tomco’s particular expertise as a designer and supplier of specialised solid-state RF amplifiers because he had taken a group of Tomco staff on a tour of the AS a year earlier.

Tomco installed an RF amplifier (10kW CW, ~500MHz) on the booster ring at the Central Japan Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Nagoya in March 2012. This was followed by a (30kW, 324MHz) pulsed amplifier for use in the beam chopper at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC).

Tomco chief executive Janice Reid said that the Nagoya synchrotron project “came directly from [AS] support and recommendation of our company and products. Our representatives in Japan have mentioned several times that this was a key factor in us getting the opportunity to participate. Our reps are now famous in Japan for selling an Australian amplifier to Toshiba!

“We think this is a good example of the synchrotron actively supporting an Australian technology company.”

Above: an Australian RF amplifier installed at the Nagoya synchrotron. Photo: Tomco Technologies