In this paper, the characteristic impedance matching of the inner line and outer line of the multi-filar tape-helix Blumlein pulse forming line (BPFL) is analyzed in detail by dispersion theory of tape helix. Analysis of the spatial harmonics of multi-filar tape-helix BPFL shows that the integer harmonic numbers of the excited spatial harmonics are not continuous. In addition, the basic harmonic component still dominates the dispersion characteristics of the multi-filar tape-helix BPFL at low frequency band. The impedance mismatching phenomenon caused by the discontinuity of filling dielectrics in the inner line of BPFL is studied as an important issue. Effects of dielectric discontinuity on the coupled electromagnetic fields and the parameters of the outer line are also analyzed. The impedance matching conditions are both obtained under the situations of continuous filling dielectric and discontinuous dielectrics, respectively. Impedance characteristics of these two situations are analyzed by comparison, and effects of the thickness of support dielectric on the impedance are also presented. When the 6 mm-thickness nylon support of the multi-filar tape helix is used in the filling dielectric of de-ionized water, the characteristic impedances of the inner line and outer line of BPFL are 53 Ω and 14.7 Ω, respectively. After the improvement about substituting de-ionized water by castor oil, the relative permittivities of the support dielectric and filling dielectric are almost the same, and the impedances of the inner and outer line of BPFL become 80 Ω and 79 Ω, respectively. That is to say, the impedance mismatching problem caused by dielectric discontinuity is solved. Circuit simulation and experimental results basically correspond to the theoretical results, and the fact demonstrates that impedance analysis of the multi-filar tape-helix BPFL based on dispersion theory is correct.

In the tape helix slow-wave system, discontinuous dielectrics have great effects on the dispersion characteristics. In this paper, the tape helix slow-wave system, including an inner and an outer metal shield, tape helix, nylon support, and de-ionized water as filling dielectric, was analyzed. Effects of dielectric discontinuity caused by the support dielectric and filling dielectric on the dispersion characteristics were studied in detail. The dispersion relations, phase velocities, slow-wave coefficients, and electric lengths of the spatial harmonics in the system were calculated. Results showed that, if the permittivity of support dielectric was smaller than that of the filling dielectric, frequencies of the spatial harmonics in the system rose, phase velocities and slow-wave coefficients increased, the slow-wave effect of the system was weakened so that the previous electric length was shortened. The reverse condition corresponded to the reverse results, and the electromagnetic simulation also proved it. By use of the helical pulse forming line of accelerator based on the studied tape helix slow-wave system, the electric lengths of the system were tested as 188.5 ns and 200 ns in experiments where the thicknesses of nylon support were 6 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The theoretical calculation results 198 ns and 211 ns basically corresponded to experimental results, which only had relative errors as 5 and 5.5%, respectively.

In the tape helix slow-wave system, discontinuous dielectrics have great effects on the dispersion characteristics. In this paper, the tape helix slow-wave system, including an inner and an outer metal shield, tape helix, nylon support and de-ionized water as filling dielectric, was analyzed. Effects of dielectric discontinuity caused by the support dielectric and filling dielectric on the dispersion characteristics were studied in detail. The dispersion relations, phase velocities, slow-wave coefficients and electric lengths of the spatial harmonics in the system were calculated. Results showed that, if the permittivity of support dielectric was smaller than that of the filling dielectric, frequencies of the spatial harmonics in the system rose, phase velocities and slow-wave coefficients increased, the slow-wave effect of the system was weakened so that the previous electric length was shortened. The reverse condition corresponded to the reverse results, and the electromagnetic simulation also proved it. By use of the helical pulse forming line of accelerator based on the studied tape helix slow-wave system, the electric lengths of the system were tested as 188.5 ns and 200 ns in experiment when the thicknesses of nylon support were 6 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The theoretical calculation results 198 ns and 211 ns basically corresponded to experimental results, which only had relative errors as 5 and 5.5%, respectively.