The flashlight model. Crystal base directs decay output along one axis. Converter stack in the beam path. Shielding behind and to the sides only — the converter stack IS the forward shielding.
Key insight: The converter stack serves as forward shielding — dual function. Energy hits the highest-frequency converter first (gamma transformer), steps down through each layer, exits as safe electrical, thermal, and light. No separate forward shielding needed.
2. Bidirectional Tube Architecture
Crystal diffracts in both directions. Source at center, converter endcaps on both ends, shielding ring only at the waist. The simplest manufacturing geometry — a tube with two flat endcaps.
Design option: The two stacks can be identical (simplest manufacturing) or differentiated — one optimized for thermal output, the other for electrical. The converter layer order reverses on each side so gamma hits the innermost layer from both directions.
3. Self-Regulating Gate Circuit
The QZE gate requires power to sustain suppression (normally-open valve). A buffer capacitor powers the gate. Converter output splits — one path recharges the cap, the other feeds external terminals. Load demand controls the duty cycle automatically.
The complete circuit has three components beyond the source and converter: the split point (where output divides), the buffer capacitor (powers the gate), and the QZE gate (controls the source). No controller, no software, no microprocessor. The physics of the circuit is the controller. Idle consumption is micro-pulses — just enough to keep the gate charged. Under full load, the gate stays open nearly continuously.