Abstract: The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) is used to capture variations in magnetic permeability and magnetization to determine the presence of sensitization. MOKE-magnetometry-based systems and apparatus may be used to provide in-field magnetic measurements, and may be particularly useful in methods for assessing changes in composition, crystal structure, and grain size in magnetic materials.

Abstract: A device(s) and method for pasteurizing and/or sterilizing particulate material using an electron beam. The device (10) includes at least one electron source (20) for generating an electron beam, a treatment zone (19) in which the material, particularly a freely falling material, can be pasteurized and/or sterilized by the electron beam, and a material channel (21) arranged in the region of the treatment zone (19) in which the material can be pasteurized and/or sterilized by the electron beam. A planar protective element (23), which is at least partially permeable by the electron beam, is arranged between the electron source (20) and the material channel (21). The device (10) includes a holding frame (120) which holds the protective element (23) and which has a cavity (121) through which a cooling fluid can flow.

Abstract: Described are ion implantation devices, systems, and methods, and in particular to an ion source that is useful for generating an aluminum ion beam.

Abstract: A remote diagnostic monitoring of operating states for physical components of a particle accelerator system includes generating, by at least one processor, a component hierarchy corresponding to a physical arrangement of one or more physical components of a particle emitting system and including corresponding operating indicators of operating states of the physical components, identifying, by the at least one processor, a faulted physical component among the physical components, identifying, by the at least one processor, one or more fault path components among the physical components, the fault path components corresponding to a portion of the physical arrangement associated with the faulted physical component, and modifying, by the at least one processor, the operating indicators of the fault path components to fault state indicators.

Abstract: The present invention relates to positioning a medical imaging system in relation to an object. In order to provide improved positioning possibilities which facilitate the workflow during an intervention, a medical imaging apparatus (10) is provided with an image acquisition arrangement (12), which is positionable in relation to an object (16) to acquire image data (18) of the object from different directions. An output unit (14) is arranged to provide the image data. According to the invention, first movement direction indicators (22) are provided to indicate possible movement directions of the image acquisition arrangement in relation to the object.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a radiotherapy planning apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry calculates initial irradiation directions of particle beams and an initial dose distribution corresponding to the initial irradiation directions by using a three-dimensional medical image concerning an object. The processing circuitry disperses some or all of the initial irradiation directions in response to a dispersion instruction via an input device. The processing circuitry modifies the initial dose distribution based on the dispersed irradiation directions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques directed toward a protective shutter for a charged particle microscope. An example apparatus at least includes a charged particle column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column, a gas injection nozzle coupled to a translation device, the translation device configured to insert the gas injection nozzle in close proximity to a stage, and a shutter coupled to the gas injection nozzle and arranged to be disposed between the sample and the SEM column when the gas injection nozzle is inserted in close proximity to the stage.

Abstract: To provide a technique capable of measuring high-frequency electrical noise in a charged particle beam device. A charged particle beam device 100 includes an electron source 2 for generating an electron beam EB1, a stage 4 for mounting a sample 10, a detector 5 for detecting secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the sample 10, and a control unit 7 electrically connected to the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5 and can control the electron source 2, the stage 4, and the detector 5. Here, when the sample 10 is mounted on the stage 4, and a specific portion 11 of the sample 10 is continuously irradiated with the electron beam EB1 from the electron source 2, the control unit 7 can calculate a time-series change in irradiation position of the electron beam EB1 based on an amount of the secondary electrons EB2 emitted from the specific portion 11, and can calculate a feature quantity for a shake of the electron beam EB1 based on the time-series change in irradiation position.

Abstract: A method for beam therapy is provided. The method includes receiving first data indicating a plurality of target volumes within a target region inside a subject for particle beam therapy relative to a particle beam outlet on a gantry for directing a particle beam from a particle beam source. The method further includes moving automatically, one or more energy modulator components to reduce an energy of the particle beam and deliver the particle beam to the target region such that a Bragg Peak is delivered to at least one target volume of the plurality of target volumes. The method further includes repeating the moving automatically as the particle beam source rotates with the gantry around the subject, without changing the energy of the particle beam at the particle beam outlet, until every target volume is subjected to a Bragg Peak.

Abstract: Disclosed is droplet ejecting apparatus that ejects droplets of a functional liquid onto a workpiece to draw a pattern. The droplet ejecting apparatus includes: a workpiece table; a droplet ejecting head configured to eject the droplets onto the workpiece placed on the workpiece table; a movement mechanism configured to relatively move the workpiece table and the droplet ejecting head in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction; and a control unit configured to: detect a position of the workpiece or a position of the workpiece table while relatively moving the workpiece table and the droplet ejecting head along a plurality of scanning lines extending in the main scanning direction and set side by side in the sub-scanning direction; and create, based on a detection result, a correction table that indicates a correlation between a position of the movement mechanism and a positional correction amount of the workpiece table.

Abstract: A method of optimizing delivery of a particle beam at a target is disclosed. The particle beam is delivered from an output device at a plurality of control points. In implementations, the method comprises delivering a substantially continuous particle beam about the plurality of control points, iteratively adjusting a delivery time of the substantially continuous particle beam about the plurality of control points, and processing to undertake at least one of (i) pre-defining energy layers based on one or both of the control points and a control point sampling frequency, or (ii) sorting the energy layers.

Abstract: It is provided a method for determining a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume, wherein each spot represents a collection of ions of a specific energy level and of a specific size at a specific lateral location. The method is performed in a treatment planning system and comprises the steps of: dividing the target volume in a plurality of target sections based on a user configuration comprising at least one spot size strategy defining a maximum spot size at the location of a Bragg peak; assigning a spot size strategy to each one of the target sections based on the location of the respective target section; and determining, within each target section, spots in accordance with its spot size strategy.

Abstract: An aperture diaphragm capable of varying the size of an aperture in two dimensions is disclosed. The aperture diaphragm may be utilized in an ion implantation system, such as between the mass analyzer and the acceleration column. In this way, the aperture diaphragm may be used to control at least one parameter of the ion beam. These parameters may include angular spread in the height direction, angular spread in the width direction, beam current or cross-sectional area. Various embodiments of the aperture diaphragm are shown. In certain embodiments, the size of the aperture in the height and width directions may be independently controlled, while in other embodiments, the ratio between height and width is constant.

Abstract: A treatment planning system for generating a plan for treatment by radiation with charged particles beams applied by pencil beam scanning onto a target tissue comprising tumoral cells is provided. The treatment planning system performs a dose definition stage defining the doses to be deposited within the peripheral surface, a beam definition stage defining positions and dimensions of the beamlets of the PBS during the at least one high rate fraction, the beams definition stage including a dose rate definition stage comprising at least one high rate fraction, and a beamlets scanning sequence stage defining a scanning sequence of irradiation of the beamlets. The beamlets scanning sequence stage optimizes a time sequence of beamlets emission such that at the end of a fraction j, a dose is deposited onto at least a predefined fraction of each specific volume at a mean deposition rate superior or equal to a predefined value.

Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for adjusting a multi-leaf collimator (MLC). The MLC includes a plurality of cross-layer leaf pairs, each cross-layer leaf pair of the plurality of cross-layer leaf pairs includes a first leaf located in a first layer of leaves and a second leaf opposingly located in a second layer of leaves. For at least one cross-layer leaf pair, an effective cross-layer leaf gap to be formed between the first leaf and the second leaf may be determined; at least one of the first leaf or the second leaf may be caused to move to form the effective cross-layer leaf gap; and an in-layer leaf gap may be caused, based on the effective cross-layer leaf gap, to be formed between the first leaf and an opposing first leaf in the first layer. A size of the in-layer leaf gap may be no less than a threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods for radiation treatment planning can include a computing system determining an estimate of a radiation dose distribution within an anatomical region of a patient, and determining a cost matrix representing an objective function, using the estimate of the radiation dose distribution. The computing system can project the cost matrix on each of a plurality of fluence planes. Each of the plurality of fluence planes can be associated with a corresponding gantry-couch orientation of a plurality of gantry-couch orientations of a medical linear accelerator. The computing system can determine, using projections of the cost matrix on each of the plurality of fluence planes, a sequence of gantry-couch orientations among the plurality of gantry-couch orientations representing a treatment path.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes at least one conductor layer; an electrostatic electrode; and a base body in which the electrostatic electrode is embedded, the base body having a first dielectric layer on which the electrostatic electrode is mounted, the base body having a second dielectric layer stacked on the first dielectric layer with covering the electrostatic electrode. The conductor layer is formed on a surface of the first dielectric layer opposite to a surface on which the electrostatic electrode is mounted. The second dielectric layer has a first surface facing the first dielectric layer and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the second surface is a placement surface on which a suction target is placed. A relative permittivity of the first dielectric layer is lower than a relative permittivity of the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: Systems for reducing the generation of thermal magnetic field noise in optical elements of microscope systems, are disclosed. Example microscopy optical elements having reduced Johnson noise generation according to the present disclosure comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material, and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material. The product of the thickness of the outer coating and the electrical conductivity is less than 0.01??1. The outer coating causes a reduction in Johnson noise generated by the optical element of greater than 2×, 3×, or an order of magnitude or greater. In a specific example embodiment, the optical element is a corrector system having reduced Johnson noise generation. Such a corrector system comprises an outer magnetic multipole, and an inner electrostatic multipole. The inner electrostatic multipole comprises an inner core composed of an electrically isolating material and an outer coating composed of an electrically conductive material.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a radiation therapy (RT) treatment plan for a treatment volume, divided into sub-volumes and having a target volume and one or more organs at risk, OAR. It includes obtaining a RT treatment plan; calculating the linear energy transfer, LET, in each sub-volume; dividing the dose distribution into doses of a first category and a second category in each sub-volume, wherein the first category comprises doses with energy depositions with an LET below a first LET threshold and the second category comprises doses with energy depositions with an LET above a second LET threshold; determining amounts of doses of the first and of the second category in each sub-volume; and performing an analysis of the quality of the RT treatment plan by metrics based on the obtained distribution of doses of the first and of the second category in the target volume and in the OAR.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a particle beam treatment system includes a storage, an estimator, a target value generator, and a particle beam treatment device. The storage stores therein a respiratory movement model obtained by synchronizing amount of displacement of an affected area of a subject with a signal related to respiration of the subject and performing modeling. The estimator estimates, based on the measured signal related to respiration and the respiratory movement model, amount of displacement of the affected area corresponding to the measured signal. The target value generator generates a target value, which is used for performing movement control on a platform on which the subject is lying down, corresponding to the estimated amount of displacement of the affected area. The particle beam treatment device irradiates, with particle beams, the affected area of the subject on the platform subjected to movement control according to the target value.

Abstract: To provide a particle beam treatment system and a method for renewing facilities of the particle beam treatment system with which the facilities can be renewed efficiently. A particle beam treatment system 1 includes a charged particle beam generation device 2 that generates a charged particle beam Bm, a first irradiation device 4(1) that irradiates the charged particle beam to a predetermined irradiation target, a first beam transportation device 3(1) that transports the charged particle beam from the charged particle beam generation device 2 to the first irradiation device 4(1), and a first vacuum valve 33(1) that is arranged in the first beam transportation device 3(1).

Abstract: A method of radiotherapy treatment planning for creating a plan for delivery of radiation to a patient in at least one particle-based arc is proposed. The delivery time for the plan is reduced by including a penalty in the objective function, designed to limit the number of energy layers and/or the number of energy layer changes.

Abstract: A particle beam transport apparatus includes a vacuum duct, at least one magnet controller, and a scanning magnet. The vacuum duct is configured such that a particle beam advances through the vacuum duct. The magnet controller is disposed around a bent portion of the vacuum duct and is configured to control an advancing direction or shape of the particle beam. The scanning magnet is disposed on the downstream side of the magnet controller in the advancing direction and is configured to scan the particle beam by deflecting each bunch of the particle beam. The magnet controller includes a deflection magnet configured to deflect the advancing direction of the particle beam along the bent portion and a quadrupole magnet configured to converge the particle beam. The deflection magnet and the quadrupole magnet constitute a combined-function magnet arranged at the same point in the advancing direction.

Abstract: A system proton treatment system including a proton accelerator structured to generate a proton beam, a plurality of beamline pathways configured to direct the proton beam from the proton accelerator to a corresponding plurality of treatment rooms, a rotatable bending magnet located between the proton accelerator and the plurality of treatment rooms, the rotatable bending magnet being structured to selectively rotate between multiple treatment rooms, and an upright patient positioning mechanism disposed in each of the treatment rooms, the upright patient positioning mechanism being structured to support a patient within a particular treatment room and to rotate the patient between a fixed imaging source and imaging panel.

Abstract: In a plasma processing method, a position in height direction of an upper surface of a focus ring surrounding an edge of a substrate mounted on a supporting table in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus is set such that the position in height direction of the upper surface of the focus ring mounted on a mounting region of the supporting table is lower than a reference position that is a position in a height direction of an upper surface of the substrate. Plasma is generated in the chamber to perform plasma processing on the substrate in a state where the position in the height direction of the upper surface of the focus ring is maintained. A negative DC voltage is applied to the focus ring in a state where the position in height direction of the upper surface of the focus ring is maintained during the plasma generation.

Abstract: A method of method of operating a multibeamlet charged particle device is disclosed. In the method, a target attached to a stage is translated, and each step of selecting beamlets, initializing beamlets, and exposing the target is repeated. The step of selecting beamlets includes passing a reconfigurable plurality of selected beamlets through the blanking circuit. The step of initializing beamlets includes pointing each of the selected beamlets in an initial direction. The step of exposing the target includes scanning each of the selected beamlets from the initial direction to a final direction, and irradiating a plurality of regions of the target on the stage with the selected beamlets.

Abstract: An anomaly determination method of the present embodiment includes: measuring a first resistance value of a processing target via a first grounding member when the first grounding member is attached to the processing target in a first chamber; bringing the first grounding member into contact with a grounded second grounding member to measure a second resistance value of the processing target via the first and second grounding members in a second chamber; and determining an anomaly of the second grounding member with an arithmetic processing unit based on a trend of a resistance difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value for a plurality of processing targets.

Abstract: A radioisotope production apparatus (RI) comprising an electron source arranged to provide an electron beam (E). The electron source comprises an electron injector (10) and an electron accelerator (20). The radioisotope production apparatus (RI) further comprises a target support structure configured to hold a target (30) and a beam splitter (40) arranged to direct the a first portion of the electron beam along a first path towards a first side of the target (30) and to direct a second portion of the electron beam along a second path towards a second side of the target (30).

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an electron beam to a subdermal tumor generates a pulsed electron beam that is collimated to a diameter of less than 1 mm and less than 10 millimeter-milliradiant transverse emittance. A biopsy needle having an interior diameter less than 2 mm and length between 1 cm and 100 cm is inserted through the skin to the tumor, and the electron beam is electromagnetically directed through the needle, so as to reach the tumor without irradiating intervening normal tissue and with minimal irradiation of surrounding normal tissue. The electron pulsing rate can be in the S-band or Q-band, the beam energy can be between 1 Mev and 6 MeV, and/or the beam brightness can be less than 10 mm·mrad. A distal end of the biopsy needle can include an electron-permeable vacuum barrier, and the apparatus can be evacuated to less than 10?8 Torr.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas targeting system including a body, which has a frustoconical cavity; a cooling circuit including at least one channel which surrounds at least one portion of the cavity; a window, positioned facing an inlet of the cavity in order to close the cavity, including a fine sheet that is permeable to at least a portion of a beam of particles emitted by a particle accelerator and a support grid configured to support pressure differences between and inside of the cavity and an outside of the targeting system, with the fine sheet positioned between the support grid and the cavity; and a support flange which holds the window and is hermetically secured on the body, and which includes a mechanical attachment interface at the outlet of a particle accelerator.

Abstract: Provided is a tumor tracking method including: acquiring a detection image when a first ray source is located at a first detection point; determining, from a first reference image sequence in a preset image library, a first reference image corresponding to the detection image; acquiring, from a second reference image sequence corresponding to the first reference image sequence in the preset image library, a second reference image determined at the same time point as the first reference image; and determining a position of a tumor relative to a second ray source according to the second reference image.

Abstract: An electron beam irradiation device includes an electron gun, a housing, and an electron beam emission window. A rod portion of the housing includes a first tubular member, a second tubular member, a cooling gas flow space, and a wall member. The window is provided at an end portion on a distal end side of the first tubular member. The second tubular member surrounds the first tubular member. The cooling gas flow space includes at least a cooling gas flow path provided between an outer wall surface of the first tubular member and an inner wall surface of the second tubular member. The wall member is provided so as to perform partition between an electron beam emission space and the cooling gas flow space. The wall member is provided with a cooling gas ejection hole. The hole has a flow path sectional area smaller than a flow path sectional area of the cooling gas flow path.

Abstract: A paint hardening device is a device for hardening paint applied to a workpiece and includes an electron beam emission portion configured to emit an electron beam to harden the paint, and a storage chamber in which the electron beam emission portion is accommodated. The paint hardening device is configured to move the workpiece and the electron beam emission portion relative to each other while the electron beam is being applied to the paint from the electron beam emission portion in a state where an inert gas atmosphere is formed at least in an electron-beam passing region where the electron beam passes in the storage chamber, the electron beam being applied to the paint from the electron beam emission portion.

Abstract: A rotary module for a measuring device of an accelerator facility includes a first radial bearing including a first bearing side configured to be paired with an accelerator-side flange connection and further including a second bearing side configured to receive the measuring device on the first radial bearing in a bearing manner such that the measuring device is connected to the accelerator facility by the first radial bearing; and a drive configured to control a rotational movement of the measuring device about an axis of rotation.

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: According to a first aspect, it is presented a method for determining a treatment plan comprising a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume. The method comprises the steps of: selecting energy layers to be used in the treatment plan; determining a number of spot sizes to use; generating, for each energy layer, one copy of the energy layer for each spot size to use and populating each copy with spots of the spot size for that copy; optimizing spots of all copies of all energy layers, by repeatedly varying a weight of at least a subset of the spots and calculating an effect on a performance measurement, wherein the performance measurement is calculated by combining a plurality of evaluation criteria, comprising a first criterion related to total treatment time and a second criterion related to a desired dose distribution.

Abstract: A particle beam system includes first and second particle beam columns. In a first operating mode, an end cap having an opening therein is outside a beam path of a first particle beam. In a second operating mode, the beam path of the first particle beam can extend through the opening of the end cap so that secondary particles coming from a work region can pass through the opening of the end cap to a detector in the interior of the first particle beam column. While the particle beam system is in the first operating mode, an image of an object arranged in the work region is recorded using the first particle beam column. While the particle beam system is in the second operating mode, the object is processed using a second particle beam.

Abstract: A proton therapy system based on a compact superconducting cyclotron, including: a superconducting cyclotron system, an energy selection system, a beam transport system, a fixed therapy room subsystem and a rotating frame therapy subsystem; a fixed-energy proton beam extracted from a superconducting cyclotron of the superconducting cyclotron system is adjusted into a continuous and adjustable proton beam of 70 MeV to 200 MeV by the energy selection system, thus realizing a longitudinal adjustment for a proton range during treating a tumor, and the continuous and adjustable proton beam is respectively transmitted to the fixed therapy room subsystem and the rotating frame therapy subsystem by the beam transport system. The cooperative control of the superconducting cyclotron system, the energy selection system, the beam transport system and the therapy head realizes the transverse expansion of proton beams, thus realizing intensity modulated radiation therapy for the tumor.

Abstract: When constructing compensators for radiation therapy using ion or proton radiation beams, a computer-aided compensator editing method includes overlaying an initial 3D compensator model on an anatomical image of a target mass (e.g., a tumor) in a patient, along with radiation dose distribution information. A user manipulates pixels or voxels in the compensator model on a display, and a processor automatically adjusts the dose distribution according to the user edits. The user iteratively adjusts the compensator model until the dose distribution is optimized, at which time the optimized compensator model is stored to memory and/or output to a machining device that constructs a compensator from the optimized model.

Abstract: To carry out accurate defect inspection over a wide area, a defect inspection device (1) includes: a radiation source section (2) configured to emit an electromagnetic wave (4) to a separator roll (10); and a sensor section (3) configured to detect the electromagnetic wave (4) that the radiation source section (2) has emitted to the separator roll (10), the sensor section (3) being configured to detect the electromagnetic wave (4) before and after the separator roll is moved relative to the radiation source section (2).

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: A patterning method that includes providing an amorphous semiconductor surface to be patterned, and terminating the amorphous semiconductor surface by forming silicon-hydrogen (Si—H) on the surface to be patterned. A photoresist is formed on the surface to be patterned. The photoresist is then lithographically patterned using an extreme ultra violet (EUV) method. A photoresist is then developed on the surface to be patterned using negative tone development (NTD).

Abstract: A proton beam therapy system with a cantilever gantry. The cantilever gantry has one end portion (the fixed end portion) affixed to an external structure that supports the weight of the gantry. The remainder of the gantry is suspended and the free end portion is coupled to a beam nozzle. A main bearing is coupled to the fixed end portion and enables the gantry to rotate in a full range of 360° around the iso-center. A large counterweight can be disposed in the fixed end portion to keep the system center of mass close to the bearing. The gantry may have a monocoque housing, including a cantilever section enclosing the magnets and other components of the gantry beamline and a drum section on which the bearing is placed.

Abstract: A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target.

Abstract: Provided is an electron beam irradiating device capable of emitting an electron beam from an electron beam generation source surrounded by a vacuum chamber to outside of the vacuum chamber through an electron beam exit window. The electron beam exit window includes: a grid; a window foil allowing the electron beam to pass therethrough; and a frame-shaped pressing member pressing the window foil against the grid. The surface of the grid has a groove section having an annular shape. A metal gasket is pressed between the groove section and the window foil.

Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.

Abstract: A radiation planning system includes a predictor-corrector optimizer unit which computes a predicted dose based on a collection of control points with a current approximate dose, each control point with a corresponding set of leaf positions, and determines an additional control point with a corresponding set of leaf positions based on a difference of the predicted fluence and the current approximate fluence through a least cost or shortest path in a layered graph structure of realizable leaf positions. Tools are described to help a planner to evaluate the effect of parameter changes to the current plan based on an identified zone of influence. The planner interactively views the current plan based on a visualization of the plan objectives and correlations between the objectives.

Abstract: A substrate treatment device includes: a substrate rotation part that horizontally holds and rotates a substrate; a nozzle that supplies a treatment liquid to a surface to be treated of the substrate rotated by the substrate rotation part; an imaging part that captures an image of an imaging area including a plurality of target areas in which a liquid film is formed when the treatment liquid is supplied to the substrate; and a detection part that refers to an imaging result of the imaging part and detects a treatment ending time point of each of the target areas based on a change in luminance value for each of the target areas. Further, the imaging area includes at least an area on a center side of the surface to be treated and an area on an outer circumferential side of the surface to be treated as the target areas.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. For one preferred embodiment, an IGRT apparatus is provided comprising a ring gantry having a central opening and a radiation treatment head coupled to the ring gantry that is rotatable around the central opening in at least a 180 degree arc. For one preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a gantry translation mechanism configured to translate the ring gantry in a direction of a longitudinal axis extending through the central opening. Noncoplanar radiation treatment delivery can thereby be achieved without requiring movement of the patient. For another preferred embodiment, an independently translatable 3D imaging device distinct from the ring gantry is provided for further achieving at least one of pre-treatment imaging and setup imaging of the target tissue volume without requiring movement of the patient.

Abstract: A proton beam therapy system with a cantilever gantry. The cantilever gantry has one end portion (the fixed end portion) affixed to an external structure that supports the weight of the gantry. The remainder of the gantry is suspended and the free end portion is coupled to a beam nozzle. A main bearing is coupled to the fixed end portion and enables the gantry to rotate in a full range of 360° around the iso-center. A large counterweight can be disposed in the fixed end portion to keep the system center of mass close to the bearing. The gantry may have a monocoque housing, including a cantilever section enclosing the magnets and other components of the gantry beamline and a drum section on which the bearing is placed.