High Energy Particle Accelerator Tube Patents (Class 315/500)
  • Patent number: 7432672
    Abstract: An apparatus for use with an accelerator includes a circulator having a first port, a second port, a third port, and a fourth port, wherein the first port is configured to couple to a power generator, and the third port is configured to couple to an accelerator, a first phase shifter coupled to the second port, and a second phase shifter coupled to the fourth port. A method of regulating power to and from an accelerator includes providing power using a power generator, varying a magnitude of the power before the power is delivered to the accelerator, receiving a reflected power from the accelerator, and varying the phase of the reflected power from the accelerator. A method of regulating reflected power from an accelerator includes receiving a reflected power from an accelerator, varying the phase of the reflected power, and varying a magnitude of the reflected power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gard Edson Meddaugh, Raymond Denzil McIntyre
  • Patent number: 7423278
    Abstract: System for ion acceleration for medical purposes comprising a conventional or superconducting cyclotron, a radiofrequency linear accelerator (Linac), a Medium Energy Beam Transport line (MEBT) connected, at the low energy side, to the exit of the cyclotron, and at the other side, to the entrance of the linear radiofrequency accelerator, as well as a High Energy Beam Transport line (HEBT) connected at high energy side to the radiofrequency linear accelerator exit and at the other end, to a system for the dose distribution to the patient. The high frequency of operation of the Linac allows for a reduced consumption and a remarkable compactness facilitating its installation in hospital structures. The use of a modular LINAC allows varying in active way the energy and the current of the therapeutic beam, having a small emittance and a time structure adapted to the dose distribution based on the technique known as the “spot scanning”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Fondazione per Adroterapia Oncologica-TERA
    Inventors: Ugo Amaldi, Massimo Crescenti, Riccardo Zennaro
  • Patent number: 7423381
    Abstract: Standing-wave linear accelerators (linac) having a plurality of accelerating cavities and which do not have any auxiliary cavities are provided. Such linacs are useful for industrial applications such as radiography, cargo inspection and food sterilization, and also medical applications such as radiation therapy and imaging. In one embodiment, the linac includes an electron gun for generating an electron beam, and a plurality of accelerating cavities which accelerates the electron beam by applying electromagnetic fields generated by a microwave source. At least two adjacent accelerating cavities of the plurality of accelerating cavities are coupled together by at least one resonant iris. The electromagnetic fields resonate through the plurality of accelerating cavities and the at least one resonant iris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Samy M. Hanna
  • Patent number: 7423390
    Abstract: An electron beam generator for multiple columns includes: a plurality of cathodes, to which a single acceleration voltage supply applies a negative acceleration voltage, and which thus generates thermoelectrons; a grid for each of the plurality of cathodes, the grid converging the thermoelectrons emitted to form a beam of electrons; a grid voltage supply for giving the grid a potential which is negative relative to a potential of the cathode; and a control circuit for each cathode, for controlling the potential of the grid. The control circuit includes a current direction restricting element connected between a positive electrode of the grid voltage supply and the cathode, and a grid current supplied from the grid voltage supply is caused to flow to the cathode through the current direction restricting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Advantest Corp.
    Inventor: Takamasa Sato
  • Patent number: 7411361
    Abstract: In an electron accelerator, a conductive housing defines a cavity. Photoelectrons are emitted from a photocathode into the cavity when light is applied to the photocathode. Via an opening formed in a wall of the conductive housing, the photoelectrons are output to the outside of the cavity. Coolant is flowed through a flow path formed in the wall of the conductive housing, to suppress a temperature rise of the conductive housing. The wall of the conductive housing is made by a metal additive manufacturing technique in such a way as to produce a flow path that has a gentle trajectory without discontinuities in gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Radiabeam Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ronald B. Agustsson, Salime M. Boucher, Pedro E. Frigola, Alex Y. Murokh, James B. Rosenzweig, Gil Travish
  • Patent number: 7400093
    Abstract: A method for generating an electron beam includes prescribing a location, and generating an envelope of electrons, the envelope having a waist, wherein the generating is performed such that the waist of the envelope is at or adjacent to the prescribed location. A device for generating an electron beam includes a gun source for generating electrons, and a plurality of electromagnetic cavities coupled in series to form a body, the electromagnetic cavities configured to accelerate at least some of the electrons to create a beam of electrons at an energy level having a value between 5 MeV and 20 MeV, the beam of electrons having a cross sectional dimension that is 0.02 ? (or 2 mm) or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Salop, David H. Whittum, Michael A. Kauffman, Mark E. Trail, Gard E. Meddaugh
  • Patent number: 7397206
    Abstract: A phase switch (energy switch) comprising a three-cavity system (an end-coupled cavity+side-passed accelerate cavity+an end-coupled cavity) and a separate single couple cavity is disclosed. The phase shift between the adjacent accelerate cavities is ? when the three-cavities system is disordered (state ‘0’); and a microwave pass through the three-cavities system to the adjacent accelerate cavities, the phase between the adjacent accelerate cavities is change to 2? (or 0) when the single couple cavity is disordered (state ‘1’). When the state 0 changes to state 1, the field phase in the structure behind the system is changed to ?, thereby to switch the phase. In the two states, the entire structure operates in ?/2 mode, that is very stable. That is very important for the medical accelerator. The detaining components have been moved outside the cavity when the single couple cavity or the three-cavity system is in the operate state, without warring about high frequency breakdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Mian Yang Gao Xin Qu Twin Peak Technology Development Inc.
    Inventor: Chongguo Yao
  • Patent number: 7397054
    Abstract: A particle beam therapy system comprises a charged particle beam generator for generating a charged particle beam, two or more treatment rooms provided with respective irradiation devices for irradiating the charged particle beam, a beam line for transporting the charged particle beam extracted from the charged particle beam generator to the irradiation device in selected one of the two or more treatment rooms, a beam detection processing/control unit for monitoring a beam state of the charged particle beam in one of the two or more irradiation devices, and a selector for switchably selecting one of the irradiation devices which is to be monitored by the beam detection processing/control unit. The selector is controlled such that the selector establishes connection with the irradiation device in the selected one treatment room to which the charged particle beam is transported through the beam line. The system configuration can be simplified while maintaining the operation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Natori, Kunio Moriyama, Kazumune Sakai, Takahide Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20080129229
    Abstract: Electromedical apparatus for intraoperative radiotherapy via a linac. It includes an arm in which, at an extremity thereof, an oscillator is assembled which generates electromagnetic waves, and which supports, at an opposite extremity thereof, a radiating head in which a linac is assembled, emitting at its output an electron beam, supplied by the oscillator through a guiding structure. The apparatus includes a first and a second rotary couplings, respectively including a fixed portion and a mobile portion, endowed with sensors of the angular position of the mobile portions, which support the radiating head on the arm in roll and pitch motion. The guiding structure includes three separate rigid waveguides, of which one at the output of the oscillator and one of input to the linac, and an intermediate one therebetween, which connects them, with the heads of which they are respectively connected through the first and the second rotary couplings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventor: Pompilio GATTO
  • Patent number: 7381949
    Abstract: A system for joining at least two beams of charged particles that includes directing a first beam along a first axis into a field. A second beam is directed along a second axis into the field. The first and second beams are turned, by interaction between the field and the first and second beams, into a third beam directed along a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Coincident Bearns Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Mauck
  • Publication number: 20080106222
    Abstract: This claim for patent describes a device which converts electromagnetic energy from an external “pump” laser into energy stored in the gravitational field. Using the pump laser and powerful magnetic constraining fields, charged particles are accelerated to near light speed. Laser energy is converted into increased relativistic mass of the accelerated, driven particles, producing an increase in the magnitude of the local curvature of spate-time. This is the basic method used by the Gravitational Curvature Capacitor (GCC). As the electromagnetic pump fields become more intense, requiring a departure from the weak field approximation, a new, dynamical structure emerges in the probability density function describing the orbital electrons. In a time averaged sense, as the particle relativistic mass increases, with energy supplied by the pump laser, a local warp in the space-time builds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph Ambrose
  • Publication number: 20080100236
    Abstract: A particle accelerator system, including apparatuses and methods, that is configurable through repositioning of shorting devices therein to operate at different charged particle beam currents while maintaining optimum transfer of electromagnetic power from electromagnetic waves to one or more accelerating sections thereof, and reducing or eliminating reflections of electromagnetic waves. The particle accelerator system includes at least two accelerating sections and an electromagnetic drive subsystem with portions of the electromagnetic drive subsystem being interposed physically between the accelerating sections, thereby making the particle accelerator system compact. The electromagnetic drive subsystem includes, among other components, a 3 dB waveguide hybrid junction having a coupling window in a narrow wall thereof which is shared by the junction's rectangular-shaped waveguides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: ScanTech Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Alexandre A. Zavadtsev, Gary F. Bowser
  • Patent number: 7345435
    Abstract: A superstructure for accelerating charged particles at relativistic speeds. The superstructure consists of two weakly coupled multi-cell subunits equipped with HOM couplers. A beam pipe connects the subunits and an HOM damper is included at the entrance and the exit of each of the subunits. A coupling device feeds rf power into the subunits. The subunits are constructed of niobium and maintained at cryogenic temperatures. The length of the beam pipe between the subunits is selected to provide synchronism between particles and rf fields in both subunits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates LLC
    Inventors: Jacek Sekutowicz, Peter Kneisel
  • Patent number: 7345436
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a beam of charged particles is provided, which comprises an emitter (1, 2) and a switching device (3) adapted to switch between first, second and third beam current levels, wherein the beam current at said first current level is suitable for writing a pixel of an image on the surface of a sample, the beam current at said second current level is suitable for not writing a pixel on the surface of said sample, and the beam current at said third current level is lower than the beam current at the second current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Josef Sellmair
  • Patent number: 7339320
    Abstract: An accelerator for accelerating a particle beam includes a main body having a plurality of electromagnetic cavities coupled in series, and a first coupling body having a first side cavity coupled to one of the electromagnetic cavities through a first opening, and to another of the electromagnetic cavities through a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening have different configurations. The accelerator further includes a pair of conductive capacitively coupled noses secured to side walls of the first coupling body, wherein the pair of noses have equal lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gard E. Meddaugh, Mark E. Trail, David Whittum
  • Patent number: 7262564
    Abstract: An electrostatic fluid acceleration and method of operation thereof includes at least two synchronously powered stages. A single power supply or synchronized and phase controlled power supplies provide high voltage power to each of the stages such that both the phase and amplitude of the electric power applied to the corresponding electrodes are aligned in time. The frequency and phase control allows neighboring stages to be closely spaced at a distance of from 1 to 2 times an inter-electrode distance within a stage, and, in any case, minimizing or avoiding production of a back corona current from a corona discharge electrode of one stage to an electrode of a neighboring stage. Corona discharge electrodes of neighboring stages may be horizontally aligned, complementary collector electrodes of all stages being similarly horizontally aligned between and horizontally offset from the corona discharge electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Kronos Advanced Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Vladimir L. Gorobets
  • Patent number: 7242158
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an accelerator waveguide having a plurality of cavities, and at least two RF power sources, each of the at least two RF power sources being separately coupled to a respective one of the plurality of cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Whitham, H. George Hammon, III
  • Patent number: 7214950
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, thermal deformation or bending of membranes in a transition radiation emitting structure can be reduced by providing flex regions in the membranes or the membrane support structures. In a second embodiment, deformation of membranes is compensated for by fabricating the membranes to cooperatively bend in a similar manner and direction. In a third embodiment, deformation of the membrane is reduced by fabricating the membranes with an intrinsic tensile or compressive stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sang H. Lee, Yashesh A. Shroff, Christof G. Krautschik
  • Patent number: 7208889
    Abstract: A particle accelerator system for producing a charged particle beam having pulses of charged particles that have different energy levels from pulse to pulse. The system enables independent adjustment of the RF power delivered to first and second accelerating sections thereof without adjustment of the RF power generated by an RF source. Such independent adjustment enables the RF power provided to the first accelerating section to be maintained at a level appropriate for optimal particle capturing therein and for producing a tightly bunched beam of particles having different energy levels from pulse to pulse, while enabling the RF power provided to the second accelerating section to be varied in order to vary the energy levels of the charged particles of the charged particle beam from pulse to pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Scan Tech Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Alexandre A. Zavadtsev, Gary F. Bowser
  • Patent number: 7208890
    Abstract: A particle accelerator system, including apparatuses and methods, that is configurable through repositioning of shorting devices therein to operate at different charged particle beam currents while maintaining optimum transfer of electromagnetic power from electromagnetic waves to one or more accelerating sections thereof, and reducing or eliminating reflections of electromagnetic waves. The particle accelerator system includes at least two accelerating sections and an electromagnetic drive subsystem with portions of the electromagnetic drive subsystem being interposed physically between the accelerating sections, thereby making the particle accelerator system compact. The electromagnetic drive subsystem includes, among other components, a 3 dB waveguide hybrid junction having a coupling window in a narrow wall thereof which is shared by the junction's rectangular-shaped waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Scan Tech Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Alexandre A. Zavadtsev, Gary F. Bowser
  • Patent number: 7173385
    Abstract: A compact linear accelerator having at least one strip-shaped Blumlein module which guides a propagating wavefront between first and second ends and controls the output pulse at the second end. Each Blumlein module has first, second, and third planar conductor strips, with a first dielectric strip between the first and second conductor strips, and a second dielectric strip between the second and third conductor strips. Additionally, the compact linear accelerator includes a high voltage power supply connected to charge the second conductor strip to a high potential, and a switch for switching the high potential in the second conductor strip to at least one of the first and third conductor strips so as to initiate a propagating reverse polarity wavefront(s) in the corresponding dielectric strip(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: George J. Caporaso, Stephen E. Sampayan, Hugh C. Kirbie
  • Patent number: 7166973
    Abstract: A method of energy recovery for RF-base linear charged particle accelerators that allows energy recovery without large relative momentum spread of the particle beam involving first accelerating a waveform particle beam having a crest and a centroid with an injection energy Eo with the centroid of the particle beam at a phase offset fo from the crest of the accelerating waveform to an energy Efull and then recovering the beam energy centroid a phase fo+Df relative to the crest of the waveform particle beam such that (Efull?Eo)(1+cos(fo+Df))>dE/2 wherein dE=the full energy spread, dE/2=the full energy half spread and Df=the wave form phase distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates LLC
    Inventors: David R. Douglas, Stephen V. Benson
  • Patent number: 7157868
    Abstract: A linear accelerator comprises a series of accelerating cavities, adjacent pairs of which are coupled via coupling cavities, in which at least one coupling cavity comprises a rotationally asymmetric element that is rotateable thereby to vary the coupling offered by that cavity. A control means for the accelerator is also provided, adapted to control operation of the accelerator and rotation of the asymmetric element, arranged to operate the accelerator in a pulsed manner and to rotate the asymmetric element between pulses to control the energy of successive pulses. A beneficial way of doing so is to rotate the asymmetric element continuously during operation of the linear accelerator. Then, the control means need only adjust the phase of successive pulses so that during the brief period of the pulse, the asymmetric element is “seen” to be at the required position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Elekta AB
    Inventors: Kevin John Brown, Terry Arthur Large, Wei Yu
  • Patent number: 7151347
    Abstract: A niobium cavity exhibiting high quality factors at high gradients is provided by treating a niobium cavity through a process comprising: 1) removing surface oxides by plasma etching or a similar process; 2) removing hydrogen or other gases absorbed in the bulk niobium by high temperature treatment of the cavity under ultra high vacuum to achieve hydrogen outgassing; and 3) assuring the long term chemical stability of the niobium cavity by applying a passivating layer of a superconducting material having a superconducting transition temperature higher than niobium thereby reducing losses from electron (cooper pair) scattering in the near surface region of the interior of the niobium cavity. According to a preferred embodiment, the passivating layer comprises niobium nitride (NbN) applied by reactive sputtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates LLC
    Inventors: Ganapati Rao Myneni, Bjorgvin Hjorvarsson, Gianluigi Ciovati
  • Patent number: 7138771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for pre-acceleration of ions and optimized matching of beam parameters used in a heavy ion application comprising a radio frequency quadruple accelerator (RFQ) having two mini-vane pairs supported by a plurality of alternating stems accelerating the ions from about 8 keV/u to about 400 keV/u and an intertank matching section for matching the parameters of the ion beam coming from the radio frequency quadruple accelerator (RFQ) to the parameters required by a subsequent drift tube linear accelerator (DTL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH
    Inventors: Alexander Bechthold, Ulrich Ratzinger, Alwin Schempp, Bernhard Schlitt
  • Patent number: 7122978
    Abstract: A charged-particle beam accelerator includes an RF-KO unit for increasing the amplitude of betatron oscillation of a charged-particle beam within a stable region of resonance and an extraction quadrupole electromagnet unit for varying the stable region of resonance. The RF-KO unit is operated within a frequency range in which the circulating beam does not go beyond a boundary of the stable region of resonance, and the extraction quadrupole electromagnet unit is operated with appropriate timing as required for beam extraction so that the charged-particle beam is extracted with desired timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nakanishi, Katsuhisa Yoshida, Masahiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7116064
    Abstract: An electron gun includes a cathode, a cavity, and an energy input. The cavity resonates at a particular frequency, and the cathode generates an electron beam along its longitudinal axis when driven by resonant electromagnetic radiation of the particular frequency. The energy input introduces electromagnetic radiation of the particular frequency into the cavity along the longitudinal axis of the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Peter Bluem
  • Patent number: 7112924
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an accelerator waveguide to receive RF power, the accelerator waveguide comprising a side cavity, an element fixedly disposed within the side cavity, and a device coupled to the element, wherein the device and the element are operable to control a resonant frequency of the side cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Samy M. Hanna
  • Patent number: 7098614
    Abstract: This electrostatic acceleration column has first to fifth electrodes arranged in a traveling direction of ions, which are a kind of charged particles. Then, the second electrode divided into two electrode members, which are opposed to each other across a path of the ions, and to which different electric potentials are applied to deflect the ions. Further, the electrodes arranged on a downstream side from the electrode are arranged along an orbit of ions deflected by the electrode and having specific energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Nissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takatoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7090365
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes front and rear emission surfaces and a plurality of lamps arranged in the central plane of the backlight unit, wherein the front and rear emission surfaces are inclined by +? and ?? degrees with respect to the central plane. The pitch of the lamps increases along the direction in which the distance between the emission surface and the central plane increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Ogawa, Shin-ichirou Ono
  • Patent number: 7088060
    Abstract: An electron tube for communication is provided with an output waveguide that is directly coupled to an outlet port of a RF (Radio Frequency) wave signal, and at least one of a low-pass filter, a high-pass filter, and a band-pass filter is included inside the output waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Microwave Tube, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshio Nakazato
  • Patent number: 7081723
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drift tube accelerator (1) for the acceleration of ion packets in ion beam acceleration systems, wherein a housing (2) consists of a longitudinally divided three-part vacuum tank (3) having a central unit (4) and a lower half-shell (3) comprising a structured lower steel block (15) and an upper half-shell (6) comprising a structured upper steel block (19). (The cavity arranged between the central unit (4) and the structured steel blocks (15, 19) has at least two acceleration regions (24, 25), between which there is arranged a magnetic focussing device (17), which focuses the ion beam from one region (24) to the next region (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Ratzinger, Bernhard Schlitt
  • Patent number: 7078852
    Abstract: A system for joining at least two beams of charged particles that includes directing a first beam along a first axis into a field. A second beam is directed along a second axis into the field. The first and second beams are turned, by interaction between the field and the first and second beams, into a third beam directed along a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Coincident Beams Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Mauck
  • Patent number: 7053565
    Abstract: An electrostatic fluid acceleration and method of operation thereof includes at least two synchronously powered stages with final or rear-most electrodes of one stage maintained at substantially the same instantaneous voltage as the immediately adjacent initial or forward-most electrodes of a next stage in an airflow direction. A single power supply or synchronized and phase controlled power supplies provide high voltage power to each of the stages such that both the phase and amplitude of the electric power applied to the corresponding electrodes are aligned in time. The frequency and phase control allows neighboring stages to be closely spaced at a distance of from 1 to 2 times an inter-electrode distance within a stage, and, in any case, minimizing or avoiding production of a back corona current from a corona discharge electrode of one stage to an electrode of a neighboring stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Kronos Advanced Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Vladimir L. Gorobets
  • Patent number: 7030398
    Abstract: A system and method of accelerating ions in an accelerator to optimize the energy produced by a light source. Several parameters may be controlled in constructing a target used in the accelerator system to adjust performance of the accelerator system. These parameters include the material, thickness, geometry and surface of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Toshiki Tajima
  • Patent number: 7015661
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accelerating charged particles. The charged particles accelerate as they travel through electric fields produced by a plurality of accelerating elements having first and second electrode plates. A magnetic field produced by a pair of magnets causes the charged particles to travel in a generally circular orbit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: STERIS Inc.
    Inventor: Sergey A. Korenev
  • Patent number: 7005809
    Abstract: Some embodiments include operation of an accelerator waveguide to output first particles from a tuned end cavity of the accelerator waveguide at a first energy, detuning of the end cavity, and operation of the accelerator waveguide to output second particles from the detuned end cavity at a second energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Whitham, Xiaodong Ding
  • Patent number: 6936981
    Abstract: A multiple electron beam pattern generator includes a multiple electron beam source to generate a plurality of electron beams that are modulated according to a pattern. An anode accelerates the electron beams, and then a beam retarding system generates a retarding electric potential about the electron beams to decrease the kinetic energy of the electron beams substantially near a substrate. A beam scanner scans the electron beams across the substrate. A substrate support supports the substrate, and a pattern is generated on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Alan Gesley
  • Patent number: 6914396
    Abstract: A high-current, high-gradient, high-efficiency, multi-stage cavity cyclotron resonance accelerator (MCCRA) provides energy gains of over 50 MeV/stage, at an acceleration gradient that exceeds 20 MeV/m, in room temperature cavities. The multi-stage cavity cyclotron resonance accelerator includes a charged particle source, a plurality of end-to-end rotating mode room-temperature cavities, and a solenoid coil. The solenoid coil encompasses the cavities and provides a substantially uniform magnetic field that threads through the cavities. Specifically, the MCCRA is provided with a constant magnetic field sufficient to produce a cyclotron frequency a little higher than the RF of the accelerating electric field. A plurality of input feeds, each of which respectively coupled to a cavity, are also provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, the beam from the first cavity passes through a cutoff drift tube and is accelerated further with a cavity supporting a still lower radio-frequency electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignees: Yale University, L-3 Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Spencer Symons, Jay L. Hirshfield, Changbiao Wang
  • Patent number: 6906338
    Abstract: A system and method of accelerating ions in an accelerator to optimize the energy produced by a light source. Several parameters may be controlled in constructing a target used in the accelerator system to adjust performance of the accelerator system. These parameters include the material, thickness, geometry and surface of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Toshiki Tajima
  • Patent number: 6906453
    Abstract: A system for joining at least two beams of charged particles that includes directing a first beam along a first axis into a field. A second beam is directed along a second axis into the field. The first and second beams are turned, by interaction between the field and the first and second beams, into a third beam directed along a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Coincident Beams Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Mauck
  • Patent number: 6903521
    Abstract: An electromagnetic induced accelerator includes internal and external circular loop inductors for inducing a magnetic field when a current is applied to the internal and external circular loop inductors in a same direction, the internal and external circular loop inductors being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and disposed coaxially and parallel to each other; a channel, which includes dielectric layers contacting the internal and external circular loop inductors, disposed between the internal and external circular loop inductors, wherein a secondary current is induced in the channel between the dielectric layers by the induced, magnetic field; and a discharging coil for supplying a pulse energy to the channel and for generating a plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-taek Park
  • Patent number: 6897617
    Abstract: A method to limit ozone production in wind ion devices while simultaneously realizing incidents of high acceleration in such devices varies the high voltage potential across the array of emitter(s) (10) and collectors (20) over time in such a manner as to generate a wave effect of airflow. The variance may be achieved by switching, ramping, or gating the high voltage potential delivered to the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Zenion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim L. Lee
  • Patent number: 6878951
    Abstract: A device for generating helical electron beams that can be used for radiation therapy is disclosed. The device contains a tertiary collimating cone that can be attached to a gantry of a linear accelerator or placed directly below the gantry. The tertiary collimating cone has a dynamic energy compensator and a magnetic electron collimator to modify the energy of electrons and to generate a helical trajectory. A multileaf collimator may be present within the tertiary collimating cone. A computer coordinates the movements of various components. The helical electron beam produced by this device can be targeted to tumors better and safer and reduce the amount of radiation hitting normal tissue than current devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: University of Maryland
    Inventor: Lijun Ma
  • Patent number: 6828553
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact time-of-flight mass spectrometer which enables very accurate mass determinations. The invention consists of a method of producing a high resolution by means of a long flight path, where the ion beam repeatedly sweeps a figure of eight in two opposed cylindrical capacitors, each of 254.56°, and the linear ion beam paths between the cylindrical capacitors are extended virtually by a change in potential so as to cause a time focusing with respect to an initial energy spread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Bruker Daltonik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Weiss
  • Patent number: 6815880
    Abstract: A system for joining at least two beams of charged particles that includes directing a first beam along a first axis into a field. A second beam is directed along a second axis into the field. The first and second beams are turned, by interaction between the field and the first and second beams, into a third beam directed along a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Coincident Beams Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Mauck
  • Publication number: 20040217720
    Abstract: An electrostatic fluid acceleration and method of operation thereof includes at least two synchronously powered stages. A single power supply or synchronized and phase controlled power supplies provide high voltage power to each of the stages such that both the phase and amplitude of the electric power applied to the corresponding electrodes are aligned in time. The frequency and phase control allows neighboring stages to be closely spaced at a distance of from 1 to 2 times an inter-electrode distance within a stage, and, in any case, minimizing or avoiding production of a back corona current from a corona discharge electrode of one stage to an electrode of a neighboring stage. Corona discharge electrodes of neighboring stages may be horizontally aligned, complementary collector electrodes of all stages being similarly horizontally aligned between and horizontally offset from the corona discharge electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Vladimir L. Gorobets
  • Publication number: 20040212329
    Abstract: An electrostatic fluid acceleration and method of operation thereof includes at least two synchronously powered stages with final or rear-most electrodes of one stage maintained at substantially the same instantaneous voltage as the immediately adjacent initial or forward-most electrodes of a next stage in an airflow direction. A single power supply or synchronized and phase controlled power supplies provide high voltage power to each of the stages such that both the phase and amplitude of the electric power applied to the corresponding electrodes are aligned in time. The frequency and phase control allows neighboring stages to be closely spaced at a distance of from 1 to 2 times an inter-electrode distance within a stage, and, in any case, minimizing or avoiding production of a back corona current from a corona discharge electrode of one stage to an electrode of a neighboring stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Vladimir L. Gorobets
  • Publication number: 20040195971
    Abstract: A standing wave electron beam accelerator and x-ray source is described. The accelerator has a plurality of on-axis resonant cells having axial apertures electrically coupled to one another by on-axis coupling cells having axial apertures. The accelerator includes a buncher cavity defined in part by an apertured anode and a half cell. The buncher cavity is configured to receive electrons injected through said anode aperture and r.f. focus them into a beam which is projected along the axis through said apertures. An x-ray target is supported in spaced relationship to said accelerator by a support having a smaller diameter than the accelerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Mark E. Trail, David H. Whittum, Gard E. Meddaugh
  • Publication number: 20040183452
    Abstract: The invention relates to various advantageous embodiments of a plasma-accelerator configuration, especially for the configuration and design of electron sources used for ionizing the working gas and/or neutralizing the discharged plasma jet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Gunter Kornfeld, Werner Schwertfeger, Roland Lenz, Gregory Coustou