Abstract: A pencil beam system includes a charged particle beam generator, a transport beamline apparatus, a scan nozzle, a fast deflector electromagnet, and a controller. After a therapeutic dose is delivered to a first target spot, the fast deflector electromagnet generates a first magnetic field that causes the net deflection of the charged particle beam to transition from the first target spot to an adjacent target spot. After the charged particle beam is directed to the adjacent target spot, the controller simultaneously adjusts the first magnetic field and the scan nozzle magnetic field to reduce and eliminate the contribution of the first magnetic field to the net deflection. The fast deflector electromagnet is deliberately designed with limited magnetic field and limited deflecting power to provide a higher slew rate, faster settling and less hysteresis contribution to beam position as compared to the scan nozzle electromagnets.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: An assembly for preventing an overdose of a charged particle beam during therapy to a patient includes a pixelated detector apparatus and a controller. The controller includes, for each pixel: a current integrator circuit that converts the local measured current into a total local detected charge integrated from a start time, the integrator circuit outputting an integrator voltage that corresponds to the total local detected charge; and a discriminator circuit that compares the integrator voltage with a reference voltage, the reference voltage corresponding to a maximum acceptable dose for the patient. A logic circuit generates an overdose fault signal if, at any of the pixels, the integrator voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

Abstract: A control system for fine tuning or spreading a charged particle pencil beam includes a low-inductance, low-power compensation or fine-tuning magnet assembly. The feedback loop that includes the compensation magnet assembly has a faster response rate than the feedback loop that includes the scan nozzle. The compensation or fine-tuning magnet assembly is preferably disposed upstream of the scan nozzle magnet(s) with respect to the beam path to make rapid but minor adjustments to the beam position between iterations of the scan nozzle.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: A control system for providing a closed loop, real time control of a charged particle pencil beam is disclosed. The system includes a first detector apparatus, a second detector apparatus, a first orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus, a second orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus, and a controller. The controller compares the measured position and beam angle of the beam with a model position and beam angle of a model beam to determine an offset error and a beam angle error. The first orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus includes a pair of electromagnets to correct a first component of the offset and beam angle errors. The second orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus includes a pair of electromagnets to correct a second component of the offset and beam angle errors. The beam can be iteratively adjusted during patient therapy or short pauses in patient therapy.

Abstract: An assembly for preventing an overdose of a charged particle beam during therapy to a patient includes a pixelated detector apparatus and a controller. The controller includes, for each pixel: a current integrator circuit that converts the local measured current into a total local detected charge integrated from a start time, the integrator circuit outputting an integrator voltage that corresponds to the total local detected charge; and a discriminator circuit that compares the integrator voltage with a reference voltage, the reference voltage corresponding to a maximum acceptable dose for the patient. A logic circuit generates an overdose fault signal if, at any of the pixels, the integrator voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: A control system for fine tuning or spreading a charged particle pencil beam includes a low-inductance, low-power compensation or fine-tuning magnet assembly. The feedback loop that includes the compensation magnet assembly has a faster response rate than the feedback loop that includes the scan nozzle. The compensation or fine-tuning magnet assembly is preferably disposed upstream of the scan nozzle magnet(s) with respect to the beam path to make rapid but minor adjustments to the beam position between iterations of the scan nozzle.

Abstract: A control system for providing a closed loop, real time control of a charged particle pencil beam is disclosed. The system includes a first detector apparatus, a second detector apparatus, a first orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus, a second orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus, and a controller. The controller compares the measured position and beam angle of the beam with a model position and beam angle of a model beam to determine an offset error and a beam angle error. The first orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus includes a pair of electromagnets to correct a first component of the offset and beam angle errors. The second orthogonal magnetic deflector apparatus includes a pair of electromagnets to correct a second component of the offset and beam angle errors. The beam can be iteratively adjusted during patient therapy or short pauses in patient therapy.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.

Abstract: A variety of systems, apparatus and methods for deflecting a particle beam are described. An apparatus comprises at least six electromagnetic portions disposed on a plane. Each of the at least six electromagnetic portions is aligned with a radius emanating from an axis normal to the plane and is distanced from the axis to form a volume about the axis. At least six coils are configured for affecting a dipole magnetic field in the volume in response to electrical currents applied to physically opposing coils where a particle beam entering the volume is deflected. Each of the at least six coils is disposed about a one of the at least six electromagnetic portions. A yoke structure is configured for returning a generated magnetic flux.

Abstract: A variety of systems, apparatus and methods for deflecting a particle beam are described. An apparatus comprises at least six electromagnetic portions disposed on a plane. Each of the at least six electromagnetic portions is aligned with a radius emanating from an axis normal to the plane and is distanced from the axis to form a volume about the axis. At least six coils are configured for affecting a dipole magnetic field in the volume in response to electrical currents applied to physically opposing coils where a particle beam entering the volume is deflected. Each of the at least six coils is disposed about a one of the at least six electromagnetic portions. A yoke structure is configured for returning a generated magnetic flux.

Abstract: Delivering a beam of charged particles includes providing the beam along a first trajectory to a linear array of magnets and energizing two or more of the magnets in the linear array to deflect the beam to a second trajectory, in which the second trajectory is substantially orthogonal to the first trajectory. The beam can be deflected to any position along a straight linear path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling ion beam scanning in an ion implanter is disclosed. Before an implant process is commenced, a scan waveform to create a uniform distribution along a magnetic scan axis is determined, using a travelling Faraday detector (24). Charge data from the travelling Faraday (24) is collected into a small, finite number of channels and this is used to create a histogram of collected charge vs. beam crossing time. This is in turn used to correct a target scan velocity to compensate for any dose non-uniformity. The target scan velocity is used as a first input to a fast feedback loop. A second input is obtained by digitizing the output of an inductive pickup in the magnet of the magnetic scanner in the ion implanter. Each input is separately integrated and Fast Fourier Transformed Error coefficients Ferror are obtained by dividing. Fourier coefficients from the target scan velocity by Fourier coefficients from the inductive pickup signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an accurate, table phase shift (b) in a sinusoidal signal employs fast analog multiplication to implement the trigonometric relationship sin(&ohgr;t+b)=sin(&ohgr;t)cos(b)+cos(&ohgr;t)sin(b). Cos (&ohgr;t) is generated by accurately shifting a signal sin(&ohgr;t) through 90° using a delay line, for example. Sin(b) and cos(b) are dc signals generated by digital to analogue conversion, using a demanded phase shift (b) whose sine and cosine are obtained from look-up tables. A controller for controlling a phase shift in an rf cavity is also disclosed and operates on the basis of the same trigonometrical principle. The amplitude of the signals in the rf cavity is also controllable; fast analogue multipliers are again employed to scale the signal amplitude to a nominal fixed value such as 1 volt.