Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a single robotic positioning arm to simultaneously move, relative to a proton beam path entering a treatment room containing the patient, both: (1) a patient support and (2) an imaging system. The robotic arm moving the imaging system and patient independently from movement of a nozzle system directing protons into the treatment rooms allows: simultaneously translating past the patient and rotating around the patient an X-ray source of the imaging system; translating a rotatable unit, of the imaging system, longitudinally past the patient on a translation guide rail; moving the patient support and the imaging system through at least four degrees of freedom relative to a movable proton beam; and/or simultaneous or alternating movement of the proton treatment beam and the imaging system relative to the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a first beam sensor, disposed adjacent a first position along a beamline. The apparatus may further include a second beam sensor, disposed adjacent a second position along the beamline, at a predetermined distance, downstream of the first beam sensor. The apparatus may include a detection system, coupled to the first beam sensor and to the second beam sensor to receive from a pulsed ion beam a first electrical signal from the first beam sensor and a second electrical signal from the second beam sensor.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for generating a rare earth from a rare earth oxide, comprising the sequential steps of: (1) reducing temperature about the rare earth oxide to less than zero degrees Celsius; (2) reducing pressure to boil off contaminant water in a powder sample of the rare earth oxide at a molecular escape velocity not disturbing the powdered rare earth oxide; and (3) heating the rare earth oxide to greater than 1000° C. in the presence hydrogen gas while optionally: (1) collecting and determining mass of a water product to determine a consumption mass of the starting hydrogen gas in a main reaction process using the equation RE2O3+3H2?2RE+3 H2O, wherein “RE” comprises at a rare earth and (2) injecting replacement hydrogen gas into the main reaction chamber up to the consumption mass.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and method of use thereof for generating a rare earth from a rare earth oxide, comprising the steps of: (1) dissociating the rare earth oxide and hydrogen gas in a reaction chamber by inductively heating the reaction chamber to greater than 2000° K to form the associated rare earth and water vapor in a reaction process; (2) driving the reaction process forward by removing the water vapor from the reaction chamber by condensing and freezing the water vapor on a first cold trap surface as water ice, where the reaction comprises: RE2O3+3H2?2RE+3H2O, where REO is a rare earth oxide and RE comprises a rare earth in the rare earth oxide; and/or (3) monitoring the reaction process by monitoring generation of at least one of the rare earth and the water in a control system designed for continuous/semi-continuous operation.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a multi-layer multi-color scintillation based detector element to image a tumor of a patient using a process of determining residual energies of positively charged particles after passing through the patient, the process comprising the steps of: (1) transmitting the positively charged particles at known energies through the patient and into a multi-layer detector element; (2) detecting first and second secondary photons, resultant from passage of the positively charged particles, respectively from a first layer of a first scintillation material and a second layer of a second scintillation material at two respective layer depths, where the first wavelength range differs from the second wavelength range; (4) determining residual energies of the positively charged particles, using output from the step of detecting; and (5) relating the residual energies to body densities to generate an image.

Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of ion beam optics. In one approach, a system includes a component (e.g., a beam-line component) of an ion implanter processing chamber. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current are applied to one or more conductive beam optics of the component, individually, to selectively generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the beam-line component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the beam-line component.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and method of manufacture thereof for forming a frothing agent, including the steps of: forming a frozen pellet by at least partially immersing a first material in a liquid, the first material including at least one of: (1) a solid particle comprising at least thirty percent nitrous oxide by mass and (2) a liquid drop comprising at least thirty percent nitrous oxide by mass; sealing the frozen pellet in a container comprising an initial pressure exceeding one hundred pounds per square inch; and heating contents of the container, the step of heating resultant in: (1) a phase change of the nitrous oxide; and (2) formation of the frothing agent.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a multi-layer multi-color scintillation based detector element to image a tumor of a patient using a process of determining residual energies of positively charged particles after passing through the patient, the process comprising the steps of: (1) transmitting the positively charged particles at known energies through the patient and into a multi-layer detector element; (2) detecting first and second secondary photons, resultant from passage of the positively charged particles, respectively from a first layer of a first scintillation material and a second layer of a second scintillation material at two respective layer depths, where the first wavelength range differs from the second wavelength range; (4) determining residual energies of the positively charged particles, using output from the step of detecting; and (5) relating the residual energies to body densities to generate an image.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for reducing a kinetic energy of positively charged particles, comprising the steps of: (1) transporting the positively charged particles from an accelerator into an exit nozzle system along a beam line; (2) providing a first chamber of the exit nozzle system, the first chamber comprising: an incident side comprising an incident aperture, an exit side comprising an exit aperture, and a beam path of the positively charged particles from the incident aperture to the exit aperture; (3) filling the beam path in the chamber with a liquid; and (4) using the liquid to reduce the kinetic energy of the positively charged particles. The kinetic energy dissipater is optionally used in combination with a proton therapy cancer treatment system and/or a proton tomography imaging system.

Abstract: The invention comprises a container apparatus and/or a method of manufacture thereof, comprising: a pressure containment housing containing both a first chemical and a second chemical; an interface configured to control dispersal of the first and second chemical out of the container; and a pressure within the container at time of manufacture exceeding ten bar. Generally, the mixture includes: (1) nitrous oxide as a gas, a liquid, a supercritical fluid, or a solid and (2) at least one of molecular hydrogen, helium, molecular nitrogen, carbon dioxide, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon in the form of a gas, liquid, supercritical fluid, or solid.

Abstract: The invention comprises a container apparatus and/or a method of manufacture thereof, comprising: a pressure containment housing containing both a first chemical and a second chemical; an interface configured to control dispersal of the first and second chemical out of the container; and a pressure within the container at time of manufacture exceeding ten bar. Generally, the mixture includes: (1) nitrous oxide as a gas, a liquid, a supercritical fluid, or a solid and (2) at least one of molecular hydrogen, helium, molecular nitrogen, carbon dioxide, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon in the form of a gas, liquid, supercritical fluid, or solid.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for imaging a tumor with X-rays while, simultaneously or alternatingly, treating or imaging the tumor with positively charged particles. An X-ray imaging system, such as one or two sets of a cone beam X-ray source coupled to an X-ray detector, is rotatable about a first axis and a patient. The X-ray imaging system is positioned off axis a path of charged particles delivered through an exit port of a nozzle system from a synchrotron and does not block a path of the positively charged particles from the exit nozzle to the patient or an imaging path from the patient to a scintillation detector. Fiducial indicators are used to confirm an unobstructed path of the positively charged particles in a treatment room comprising many movable elements, such as the X-ray imaging system and a patient positioning system/couch.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and/or a method of use thereof for dispensing whipped cream, comprising: a profi including a pressure containment housing, a first receiving port integrated into the pressure containment housing, a dispensing port integrated into the pressure containment housing, and at least a first pressure cartridge containing at least a liquid form of nitrous oxide, where the pressure cartridge includes a pressure gas delivery port and where a connection between the receiving port and the pressure gas delivery port form: (1) a section of a pressure containment unit encompassing contents of the pressure containment housing and the pressure cartridge and (2) an open path between the pressure containment housing and the pressure cartridge.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for determining state of a positively charged particle, such as a proton, for use in imaging a tumor of a patient prior to and/or concurrent with cancer therapy. The imaging system comprises: (1) a beam transport path of the positively charged particle sequentially passing through a patient, through a first time of flight detector, and, after traversing a pathlength, at least into a second time of flight detector and (2) a beam state determination system using elapsed time between detection at the first and second time of flight detectors and the pathlength to determine a residual beam energy, which, when compared to a known incident beam energy, is used in generation of an image of the tumor. An optional beam energy degrading element increases time differences between the time of flight detectors.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient, in a beam treatment center comprising a floor, with positively charged particles, comprising: (1) a synchrotron mounted to an elevated floor section above the floor of the beam treatment center; (2) a beam transport system, comprising: at least three fixed-position beam transport lines, where none of the synchrotron and the beam transport system penetrate through the floor of the beam treatment center; (3) the positively charged particles transported from the synchrotron, through the beam transport system, to a position above a patient positioning system during use; and (4) an optional repositionable nozzle system connected to a first, second, and third fixed-position beam transport line at a first, second, and third time, respectively, where the nozzle track forms an arc of a circle and the repositionable nozzle system moves along the nozzle track.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient, in a beam treatment center comprising a floor, with positively charged particles, comprising: (1) a synchrotron mounted to an elevated floor section above the floor of the beam treatment center; (2) a beam transport system, comprising: at least three fixed-position beam transport lines, where none of the synchrotron and the beam transport system penetrate through the floor of the beam treatment center; (3) the positively charged particles transported from the synchrotron, through the beam transport system, to a position above a patient positioning system during use; and (4) an optional repositionable nozzle system connected to a first, second, and third fixed-position beam transport line at a first, second, and third time, respectively, where the nozzle track forms an arc of a circle and the repositionable nozzle system moves along the nozzle track.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for directing protons to a tumor, comprising the steps of: (1) holding a patient with a patient support; (2) providing an imaging system comprising: a rotatable unit at least partially surrounding an axial perimeter of the patient support, a translation guide rail, an imaging source attached to the rotatable unit, and an imaging detector attached to the rotatable unit; (3) translating and rotating the imaging source and the imaging detector relative to the patient support using the translation guide rail and the rotatable unit; and (4) providing an attachment section connected: on a first end to a robotic arm positioning system and on a second end to the patient support and the imaging system, the robotic arm positioning system repositioning, relative to a nozzle system linked to the synchrotron, the attachment system supporting the patient support system and the imaging system.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a turning magnet of an accelerator of a cancer therapy system, the accelerator comprising first magnet coils and second correction coils wound about a magnet core where: (1) at a first time, the second correction coils are used to correct a magnetic field, resultant from the first magnet coils, used to turn cations and (2) at a second time, after reversing polarity of the correction coils, the correction coils are used to turn anions and/or electrons, the cations and electrons used to treat a tumor of a patient positioned in a treatment position relative to a treatment beam from the accelerator during the first and second time periods.

Abstract: Generally, a method or apparatus for tomographically imaging a sample, such as a tumor of a patient, using positively charged particles positions n two-dimensional detector arrays on n surfaces of a scintillation material or scintillator, respectively. Resultant from energy transfer from the positively charged particles, secondary photons are emitted from the scintillation material and detected by the plurality of two-dimensional detector arrays, where each detector array images the scintillation material. Combining signals from the plurality of two-dimensional detector arrays, the path, position, energy, and/or state of the positively charged particle beam as a function of time and/or rotation of the patient relative to the positively charged particle beam is determined and used in tomographic reconstruction of an image of the sample or the tumor.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and method of use thereof for using a single patient position during, optionally simultaneous, X-ray imaging and positively charged particle imaging, where imaging a tumor of a patient using X-rays and positively charged particles comprises the steps of: (1) generating an X-ray image using the X-rays directed from an X-ray source, through the patient, and to an X-ray detector, (2) generating a positively charged particle image: (a) using the positively charged particles directed from an exit nozzle, through the patient, through the X-ray detector, and to a scintillator, the scintillator emitting photons when struck by the positively charged particles and (b) generating the positively charged particle image of the tumor using a photon detector configured to detect the emitted photons, where the X-ray detector maintains a position between said the nozzle and the scintillator during the step of generating a positively charged particle image.