Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for scanning charged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap, the gap comprising a common gap length, along a path of the charged particles, within both the first and second dipole magnet systems, the gap comprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area from an entrance area of the charged particles into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area of the double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2) scanning the positively charged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning the positively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane using the second dipole magnet system.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for scanning charged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap, the gap comprising a common gap length, along a path of the charged particles, within both the first and second dipole magnet systems, the gap comprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area from an entrance area of the charged particles into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area of the double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2) scanning the positively charged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning the positively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane using the second dipole magnet system.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for steering/scanning charged particles, comprising: a double dipole scanning system, comprising: (1) a beam path chamber comprising an entrance side and an exit side, the entrance side comprising a smaller area than the exit side; (2) a first dipole magnet, the first dipole magnet comprising a first coil and a third coil on first opposite sides of the beam path chamber; and (3) a second dipole magnet, the second dipole magnet comprising a second coil and a fourth coil on second opposite sides of the beam path chamber, the beam path chamber further comprising a truncated square/rectangle pyramid shape, the smaller entrance side of the charged particles comprising a top of the truncated pyramid shape, the exit side of the charged particles comprising a larger bottom of the truncated pyramid shape.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, the melt having an exposed surface separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance, a housing comprising a material that is non-contaminating to the melt, the housing comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a top that are configured to contact the melt, and a plurality of heating elements isolated from the melt and disposed along a transverse direction perpendicular to a pulling direction of the crystalline sheet, the plurality of heating elements being individually powered, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed at a second set of distances from the exposed surface of the melt that are less than the first distance, and wherein the plurality of heating elements are configured to vary a heat flux profile along the transverse direction when power is supplied individually to the plurality of heating elements.

Abstract: A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for scanning charged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap, the gap comprising a common gap length, along a path of the charged particles, within both the first and second dipole magnet systems, the gap comprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area from an entrance area of the charged particles into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area of the double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2) scanning the positively charged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning the positively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane using the second dipole magnet system.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for steering/scanning charged particles, comprising: a double dipole scanning system, comprising: (1) a beam path chamber comprising an entrance side and an exit side, the entrance side comprising a smaller area than the exit side; (2) a first dipole magnet, the first dipole magnet comprising a first coil and a third coil on first opposite sides of the beam path chamber; and (3) a second dipole magnet, the second dipole magnet comprising a second coil and a fourth coil on second opposite sides of the beam path chamber, the beam path chamber further comprising a truncated square/rectangle pyramid shape, the smaller entrance side of the charged particles comprising a top of the truncated pyramid shape, the exit side of the charged particles comprising a larger bottom of the truncated pyramid shape.

Abstract: A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a melt may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, where the melt has an exposed surface that is separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance. The apparatus may further include a submerged heater comprising a heating element and a shell disposed between the heating element and the melt, wherein the heating element does not contact the melt. The heating element may be disposed at a second distance with respect to the exposed surface of the melt that is less than the first distance.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, the melt having an exposed surface separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance, a housing comprising a material that is non-contaminating to the melt, the housing comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a top that are configured to contact the melt, and a plurality of heating elements isolated from the melt and disposed along a transverse direction perpendicular to a pulling direction of the crystalline sheet, the plurality of heating elements being individually powered, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed at a second set of distances from the exposed surface of the melt that are less than the first distance, and wherein the plurality of heating elements are configured to vary a heat flux profile along the transverse direction when power is supplied individually to the plurality of heating elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a melt may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, where the melt has an exposed surface that is separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance. The apparatus may further include a submerged heater comprising a heating element and a shell disposed between the heating element and the melt, wherein the heating element does not contact the melt. The heating element may be disposed at a second distance with respect to the exposed surface of the melt that is less than the first distance.