Instrumentation of kinetic spectroscopy—9. Use of a computer for automatic performance of start-up procedures on a 4 MeV Van de Graaff electron accelerator

A digital system was designed to control a 4 MeV Van de Graaff electron accelerator by a desktop computer for automatic performance of routine procedures like the daily conditioning of the accelerator or the formation of a new injector cathode. The modifications of the accelerator controls, the interface and a new voltage stabilizer circuit are described and the voltage conditioning and the cathode formation procedures are discussed.