Abstract: A technique is provided for the alignment of an H/D puller for use in a cyclotron. One aspect of the technique comprises magnetically attaching a pair of feeler gages to an alignment tool for use in aligning the H/D puller. The magnetic retention of the feeler gages allows a field engineer to make the desired adjustments to align the H/D puller. Another aspect of the present technique provides for the H/D puller to include a replaceable tip such that the tip may be replaced without removing the H/D puller. Because the H/D puller is not removed and replaced, the alignment of the H/D puller to the ion source is maintained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medical particle irradiation apparatus comprising a rotating gantry 1 including an irradiation unit 4 emitting particle beams; an annular frame 16 located within and supported by the rotating gantry 1 such that it can rotate relative to the rotating gantry 1; an annular frame 15 fixedly located opposite the annular frame 16; an anti-corotation mechanism 34 being in contact with both the annular frames 16 and 15 to prevent the annular frame 16 from rotating together with the rotating gantry 1 during rotation of the rotating gantry 1; and a flexible moving floor 17 interposed between the annular frames 15 and 16, the flexible moving floor 17 being engaged with the annular frames 15 and 16 in such a manner as to move freely such that its bottom is substantially level and that it moves as the rotating gantry rotates.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medical particle irradiation apparatus comprising a rotating gantry 1 including an irradiation unit 4 emitting particle beams; an annular frame 16 located within and supported by the rotating gantry 1 such that it can rotate relative to the rotating gantry 1; an annular frame 15 fixedly located opposite the annular frame 16; an anti-corotation mechanism 34 being in contact with both the annular frames 16 and 15 to prevent the annular frame 16 from rotating together with the rotating gantry 1 during rotation of the rotating gantry 1; and a flexible moving floor 17 interposed between the annular frames 15 and 16, the flexible moving floor 17 being engaged with the annular frames 15 and 16 in such a manner as to move freely such that its bottom is substantially level and that it moves as the rotating gantry rotates.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device (10) for regulating the intensity of a beam extracted from a particle accelerator, such as a cyclotron, used for example for protontherapy, said particles being generated from an ion source. The invention is characterized in that it comprises at least: a comparator (90) determining a difference ? between a digital signal IR representing the intensity of the beam measured at the output of the accelerator and a setpoint value IC of the beam intensity: a Smith predictor (80) which determines on the basis of the difference ?, a correct value of the intensity of the beam IP; an inverted correspondence table (40) supplying, on the basis of the corrected value of the intensity of the beam IP, a setpoint value IA for supply arc current from the ion source (20).

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medical particle irradiation apparatus comprising a rotating gantry 1 including an irradiation unit 4 emitting particle beams; an annular frame 16 located within and supported by the rotating gantry 1 such that it can rotate relative to the rotating gantry 1; an annular frame 15 fixedly located opposite the annular frame 16; an anti-corotation mechanism 34 being in contact with both the annular frames 16 and 15 to prevent the annular frame 16 from rotating together with the rotating gantry 1 during rotation of the rotating gantry 1; and a flexible moving floor 17 interposed between the annular frames 15 and 16, the flexible moving floor 17 being engaged with the annular frames 15 and 16 in such a manner as to move freely such that its bottom is substantially level and that it moves as the rotating gantry rotates.

Abstract: To provide an accelerator system having a wide ion beam current control range, being capable of operating with low power consumption and a long maintenance interval and being capable of preventing unnecessarily large dose of the ion beam for irradiation from erroneously being supplied to the downstream side of the system. In an accelerator system designed to treat the patient with irradiation of a high-energy ion beam accelerated by a post-accelerator 4 comprising a synchrotron in irradiation rooms 6 to 8, a value of ion beam current to be supplied to the post-accelerator 4 is controlled by a pre-accelerator comprising an ion source 10, quadrupole electromagnet 15, radio frequency quadrupole accelerator 17 and a drift tube type accelerator 19. The accelerator system featuring low power consumption, a long maintenance interval and high reliability can be made available.

Abstract: A plasma generation system that is capable of generating uniform high-density plasma includes a microwave generator for generating microwaves, a refractor for altering a direction of propagation of the microwaves, and an electromagnetic unit for applying a magnetic field to plasma formed by the microwaves to generate electron cyclotron resonance (ECR).

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for treating a target volume with a particle beam, in particular a proton beam, which consists in generating said particle beam using an accelerator and in producing from said beam a narrow spot directed towards the target volume, characterized in that said spot sweeping speed and the particle beam intensity are simultaneously varied.

Abstract: The present inventions is related to a superconducting or non-superconducting isochronous sector-focused cyclotron, comprising an electromagnet with an upper pole and a lower pole that constitute the magnetic circuit, the poles being made of at least three pair of sectors (3,4) called “hills” where the vertical gap between said sectors is small, these hill-sectors being separated by sector-formed spaces called “valleys” (5) where the vertical gap is large, said cyclotron being energized by at least one pair of main coils (6), characterised in that at least one pair of upper and lower hills is significantly longer than the remaining pair of hill sectors in order to have at least one pair of extended hill sectors (3) and at least one pair of non-extended hill sectors (4) in that a groove (7) or a “plateau” (7′) which follows the shape of the extracted orbit is present in said pair of extended hill sectors (3) in order to produce a dip (200) in the magnetic field.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the feedback control of a grid scanner in ion therapy. An apparatus of that kind for the feedback control of a grid scanner has scanner magnet current supply devices for ion beam scanner magnets that deflect horizontally and vertically with respect to the middle of the ion beam, the supply devices being controlled by control and read-out modules for the scanner magnets. Furthermore, the apparatus has a location-sensitive detector for location measurement, which is controlled by means of a control and read-out module. A sequence control device controls the activation and read-out sequence among the devices of the apparatus, the apparatus also having in the sequence control device a circuit arrangement having a feedback loop between the control and read-out modules for the scanner magnets and the control and read-out module of the location-sensitive detector.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.

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.

Abstract: An energy storage device in which a vacuum tube and a magnetic field are used to store electrons circulating within the tube along spiral paths. The vacuum tube can have a generally toroidal shape and contains an electron gun or filament to inject electrons into the tube. Systems for retrieving electrons and precisely controlling their movement within the tube use a microprocessor control circuit that may be programmed to perform energy storage and retrieval functions.

Abstract: A high-frequency power supply apparatus for a plasma generation apparatus having a modulator for generating an intermittent high-frequency output on the basis of a modulation reference signal and a peak value setting signal, the high-frequency power supply apparatus having: a first control loop for comparing the peak value of the intermittent high-frequency output detected by a peak value detector with a preset peak value of the high-frequency output so that the output controller controls the peak value of the high-frequency output to be the preset peak value; and a second control loop for calculating an average value of the intermittent high-frequency output based on the preset peak setting value and a preset duty ratio setting value and generating a modulation reference signal for controlling the modulator on the basis of the average value of the high-frequency output detected by a monitor and the average value of the high-frequency output.

Abstract: An ion implanting system including an ion implanting chamber for implanting an ion into a semiconductor wafer, a load lock chamber for loading the semiconductor wafer into the ion implanting chamber, a turbo pump for creating a high vacuum atmosphere in the load lock chamber, a low vacuum pump for creating a low vacuum atmosphere in the turbo pump, a cryo pump controller for generating a control signal to control a pumping operation of the turbo pump, a control voltage generator for generating a control voltage in response to the control signal generated from the cryo pump controlle, an interface for generating a starting signal in response to the control voltage, and a turbo pump controller for applying a voltage to operate the turbo pump and the low vacuum pump in response to the starting signal output from the interface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for minimising the diameter of the magnet poles of a cyclotron system for production of radioactive tracers. The method selects an operation mode having vz defined below the critical resonance value of vz=½ and chooses a valley technique having shallow valleys by selecting a first magnet pole parameter defining a valley gap accepting a narrow spaced RF electrode system and size facilitating a vacuum conductance necessary for obtaining a low enough pressure. The method then defines a second magnet pole parameter by setting a sector gap size. The magnetic azimuthal field shape is transformed from being “square-wave”-shaped to becoming approximately sinusoidal by increasing the magnetising field. Then an average magnetic field is calculated from the increased magnetising field and the first and second magnet pole parameter. A pole diameter can then be established to obtain a most compact design of the electromagnet for a cyclotron system.

Abstract: A particle accelerator for inducing contained particle collisions. The particle accelerator includes two hollow dees of electrically conductive material which are separated and electrically insulated from each other. The dees are located between the poles of a strong magnet which generates a magnetic field through top and bottom sides of the dees. In addition, the dees are connected to an oscillator for providing an alternating voltage between the dees. The dees are located within a chamber containing a gas and/or vapor provided at a measurable pressure. Ions are accelerated in essentially spiral paths within the dees, and follow paths which may be both concentric and non-concentric with the dees whereby collisions are produced between accelerated ions and gas or vapor atoms contained within the chamber, as well as between pairs of accelerated ions following different paths.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for simple and quick disconnection of a target assembly at a cyclotron accelerator producing an ion beam irradiating the target assembly for PET radioisotope production. The device consists of a target body presenting a target space for introduction of target media to be irradiated by the ion beam from the cyclotron accelerator. The target body is separated into three portions by means of two separation window foils. The first separation window separates the internal space of a first body portion from a further internal space portion of a second target body portion and the second separation window separates a further internal space of the second target body portion from an internal space of a third target body portion being in communication with the vacuum space of the cyclotron.

Abstract: A method and a system for obtaining a proper resonance of the RF electrodes when using a preset or predetermined stable frequency oscillator in a cyclotron accelerator without using mechanical tuning devices. In order to maintain a high RF electrode voltage during operation the RF electrode system resonance is monitored and the frequency of the stable frequency generator is controlled by a feedback system continuously monitoring the matching of the oscillator output frequency and the resonance of the RF electrode system. Necessary small adjustments of the stable oscillator frequency to maintain a maximum matching to the resonance frequency of the RF electrode system are obtained by means of the feedback system to the stable oscillator. The feedback system relies on measured values obtained by a load phase sensor monitoring the output of the final RF power amplifier.

Abstract: A cusp filter for altering a multi-species plasma to separate ions of different masses (M1 and M2) includes first and second axi-symmetric magnetic fields which are coaxial, have the same magnitude (B), and are oriented back-to-back to establish a null cusp. The null cusp is thus oriented perpendicular to the axis between the magnetic fields. An injector is provided for directing the plasma ions along the axis toward the null cusp to divert the ions (M1) away from the axis and prevent them from crossing the null cusp, while allowing the ions (M2) to cross the null cusp and proceed along the axis through the filter. In one embodiment, a cut-off mass, Mc, is determined such that M1<Mc<M2 with Mc=e2B2r2/2W where “e” is the ion charge, “r” is the radial distance of the ion from the axis, and W is its kinetic energy.

Abstract: The objective of the invention is a process for producing a rigidified structure, comprising at least one element with superconducting properties, and the means for rigidifying, this process comprising a stage of deposit by plasma spraying of a layer of material on a surface of said element.

Abstract: The present invention comprises cyclotron display devices similar to cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in which the CRT electron gun is replaced by one or more cyclotrons that produce electrons using lower voltages and energy costs than a CRT electron gun does. This can be done both with monochrome and color displays, as disclosed. In addition, the electrons emerge from the cyclotron with adequate velocity, thus obviating the need for accelerating electrodes. The need for electron focusing is also greatly reduced, or eliminated, since the electrons emerge from the cyclotrons as beams, rather than as diffuse clouds. The cyclotron display assembly can be made to be significantly shorter than the conventional electron gun CRT. In addition, an array of cyclotrons, rather than just a single one, can be used, so that each cyclotron maps to a fractional portion of the video screen. This further shortens the length of the cyclotron display.

Abstract: Electrons are arranged so they circulate along a spiral path in a vacuum. The path has a hollow symmetrical shape which is defined by a surface of a toroid. The shape is controllable by a magnetic field and the electrons can be contained within the shape. A containing force can be created by external electromagnetic fields, ions within the vacuum, or by interactions between the orbiting electrons themselves. The contained electrons store energy for later retrieval.

Abstract: A cyclotron and a target system containing rotating foils composed of target nuclide to undergo nuclear reactions with the beam from the cyclotron are integrated into one unit such that the foils intercept the orbit of the accelerating beam in the cyclotron. Accordingly, the beam strikes the foils to undergo nuclear reaction therein and to correspondingly lose a small portion of its energy in its passage through the foils. The transmitted beam from the foils gains the lost energy to the foils as it circulates in the accelerating zone of the cyclotron and subsequently re-strikes the foils. This process of continuing strikes results in accumulation of the beam current striking the foils and proportionally increases the rate of nuclear reactions. Since the beam after striking the foils is re-circulated and regains the energy loss to the foils, the integrated unit is termed the Recyclotron. The targets are designed to dissipate the heat from the beam load primarily by radiation.

Abstract: A method for extracting a charged particle beam out of an isochronous cyclotron (1) comprising an electromagnet forming a magnetic circuit that includes at least a number of sectors (3, 3') known as "hills" where the air-gap is reduced, and separated by sector-shaped spaces (4) known as "valleys" where the air-gap is larger. According to the extraction method, the particle beam is extracted without using an extraction device as the magnetic field has a special arrangement produced by designing the electromagnet air-gap at the "hills" (3, 3') of the isochronous cyclotron in such a way that the aspect ratio between the electromagnet air-gap at the "hills" in the region of the maximum radius, and the radius gain per turn of the particles accelerated by the cyclotron at said radius is less than 20.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring cyclotron operation includes a sensing and monitoring system having vacuum sensor for sensing whether an acceleration chamber associated with the cyclotron is evacuated, a target sensor for sensing various target conditions which would indicate a faulty target condition, and a synthesis sensor for sensing whether the synthesis of the positron-emitting radio chemical is proceeding as desired. The system and method also includes an alarm feature for alarming or otherwise notifying a radio chemist or technician that one or more of the aforementioned cyclotron failures has occurred before the failure damages equipment or otherwise causes a significant delay or cancellation in the production of the radio chemical which is subsequently injected into a patient during a positron-emitting tomography procedure. The system and method senses the various fault conditions and generating one or more user-friendly display and subsequent alarm in response thereto.

Abstract: A superconducting cyclotron is provided that includes a superconducting magnet. This superconducting magnet is arranged to provide a magnetic field that extends axially through a chamber which includes a radially extending beam space. There is further an interaction within the chamber between the axially extending magnetic field and RF energy that energizes particles that are circulating within the beam space. There is further a linear accelerator that is aligned with and exposed to the axially extending magnetic field of the superconducting cyclotron. The output of this linear accelerator communicates with an input to the beam space so that the particles for acceleration within the beam space are pre-accelerated by the linear accelerator.

Abstract: An acceleration orbit face of particle beam circular acceleration unit is placed at right angles to a rotation shaft of rotation unit for rotating the particle beam circular acceleration unit, beam transport unit, and irradiation field formation unit in one piece. Shields for shielding radiations and magnetism are placed symmetrically with respect to the center axis of the particle beam circular acceleration unit. Shields are placed symmetrically with respect to the center line of the particle beam circular acceleration means, thereby lessening the amount of beams coming in collision with surrounding walls from the beam acceleration orbit, decreasing the radiation leakage amount, lightening the shields, and providing a light particle beam irradiation apparatus.

Abstract: Electrons are arranged so they circulate along a spiral path in a vacuum. The path has a hollow symmetrical shape which is defined by a surface of a toroid. The shape is controllable by a magnetic field and the electrons can be contained within the shape. A containing force can be created by external electromagnetic fields, ions within the vacuum, or by interactions between the orbiting electrons themselves. The contained electrons store energy for later retrieval.

Abstract: A cyclotron comprises a dee, an ion source cone provided with an ion outlet through which ions are emitted, and an ion puller electrode mounted on the dee to pull out ions from the ion source cone through the ion outlet by applying a voltage between the ion source and the ion puller electrode. The ion source cone can be moved from outside the cyclotron without breaking the vacuum of the cyclotron. The ion puller electrode has a sliding aperture member provided with an aperture and capable of being moved relative to the dee. An operating projection of the ion source cone is brought into engagement with the aperture member, and then the ion source cone is moved to move the aperture member to a desired position. Thus, the aperture of the ion puller electrode can be positioned at an appropriate position opposite the ion outlet by moving the ion source cone without requiring any special mechanism for moving the ion puller electrode.

Abstract: A pair of magnetic field adjusting center rods are inserted in central portions of a pair of pole pieces of a magnet included in a cyclotron. One of the magnetic field adjusting center rods is provided with an ion source receiving hole and the other is provided with a magnetic field adjusting recess coaxially with the ion source receiving hole. The magnetic field adjusting center rods are provided at their ends facing each other with magnetic field correcting projections, respectively. The magnetic field correcting projections project toward each other to form pole faces facing each other with a small air gap. Thus, irregularities in a magnetic field created between the pole pieces are corrected so that the dispersion of ion beams and the distortion of an orbit of ions can be prevented.

Abstract: A superconducting or non-superconducting compact isochronic cyclotron in which the particle beam is sectorally focused. The cyclotron comprising a solenoid forming a magnetic circuit which is energized by at least one pair of circular main coils surrounding the solenoid poles. The magnetic circuit includes at least three pairs of sectors known as "hills", where the air gap is reduced, separated by sector-shaped spaces known as "valleys", where the air gap is larger. The air gap between the hills has a substantially elliptical curved profile which completely closes off the radial end of the hills at the center plane.

Abstract: A cyclotron and associated magnet coil and coil fabricating process. The cyclotron (10) includes a return yoke (12) defining a cavity (28) therein. A plurality of wedge-shaped regions called "hills" (29) are disposed in the return yoke (12), and voids called "valleys" (34) are defined between the hills (29). A single, substantially circular magnet coil (40) surrounds and axially spans the hills (29) and the valleys (34). The cyclotron magnet coil fabricating process includes the steps of securing a first end portion of a continuous length of sheet conductor to a substantially circular base, and positioning a first end portion of a length of insulator material coated on opposite sides with a thermosetting resin between the first end portion of the sheet conductor and the base.

Abstract: An ion removing device includes an ion inducing electrode provided in a vacuum container in a deflection portion of an electron accumulating ring along an inner peripheral wall of the vacuum container, an ion removing electrode provided in the vacuum container near each of ports of the defection portion of the electron accumulating ring, and a power source for applying a voltage to both the ion inducing electrode and the ion removing electrodes. An ion removing method includes the steps of inducing ions trapped by a potential generated by an electron beam to ports of a deflection portion of an electron accumulating ring by forming an electric field in a vacuum container in the deflection portion, and removing the ions which have been inducted to the ports of the defection portion.

Abstract: A particle accelerator has a transmission window formed of a thin homogeneous foil having a predetermined thickness and having a predetermined length, and when laid fiat as a sheet having a transverse dimension. The window is formed to have a locus of a curve in cross section along the transverse dimension such that a radius of curvature of at least a portion of the curve in cross section is less than the length of the transverse dimension. Longitudinal channel and tubular shapes are preferred. Window cooling by gaseous and liquid fluid flows is also described. A transmission window assembly and a particle beam accelerator having an efficient rugged accelerator tube structure are also described.