In some variations, an interferometric frequency-reference apparatus comprises: an atom source configured to supply neutral atoms; a collimator configured to form a collimated beam of the neutral atoms; one or more probe lasers; and a Doppler laser configured to determine a ground-state population of the neutral atoms. Other variations provide a method of creating a stable frequency reference, comprising: forming a collimated beam of neutral atoms; illuminating the neutral atoms with first and second probe lasers; adjusting the frequencies of the first probe laser and second probe laser using Ramsey spectroscopy to an S.fwdarw.D transition of the neutral atoms; and determining a ground-state population of the neutral atoms with another laser. The interferometric frequency-reference apparatus may provide an optical frequency reference or a microwave frequency reference.

Collimators and other components for use in neutron scattering experiments or to provide neutron shielding in nuclear reactors or accelerator based neutron sources are produced by additive manufacturing from multiple different types of material, such as boron carbide (B.sub.4C), steel, isotopically enriched boron carbide (.sup.10B.sub.4C), and blends thereof.

A collimator for an x-ray tube can be a monolithic, integral structure. The collimator can include a proximal-end closest to a cathode and a distal-end farthest from the cathode. The proximal-end can adjoin a vacuum inside of the x-ray tube. The distal-end can adjoin the air. The collimator can include an aperture extending therethrough. An x-ray window can be mounted across the aperture. The aperture can include a collimation-region between the x-ray window and the distal-end, and a drift-region between the x-ray window and the proximal-end. X-rays can be generated inside of the collimator.

The disclosure relates to a Mobile Fluoroscopic Device consisting of a Mini-C Arm assembly containing a stepless collimating apparatus which is adjustable using pairs of linear translating, opaque to x-ray plates (2). Each pair of plates are operated by a drive mechanism including a motor (3), gears (4, 6), and racks (5) making it possible to increase or decrease the cross-sectional area of the x-ray beam relative to the x-ray sensor surface area.

The disclosure relates to a Mobile Fluoroscopic Device consisting of a Mini-C Arm assembly containing a stepless collimating apparatus which is adjustable using pairs of linear translating, opaque to x-ray plates (2). Each pair of plates are operated by a drive mechanism including a motor (3), gears (4, 6), and racks (5) making it possible to increase or decrease the cross-sectional area of the x-ray beam relative to the x-ray sensor surface area.

A sample inspection system contains a source of electromagnetic radiation and an apparatus that includes a beam former, a collimator and an energy resolving detector. The beam former is adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the source to provide a polygonal shell beam formed of at least three walls of electromagnetic radiation. The collimator has a plurality of channels adapted to receive diffracted or scattered radiation at an angle. The energy resolving detector is arranged to detect radiation diffracted or scattered by a sample upon incidence of the polygonal shell beam onto the sample and transmitted by the collimator.

An X-ray beam generating system including an X-ray source for generating an original primary X-ray beam, an optics system including a first optics component and at least one second optics component which are movable relative to the X-ray source in order either to bring the first optics component into interaction with the original primary X-ray beam, whereupon a first primary X-ray beam is generated which is deflected at a first deflection angle, or to bring the second optics component into interaction with the original primary X-ray beam, whereupon a second primary X-ray beam is generated which is deflected at a second deflection angle, and a rotating device to rotate the X-ray beam generating system through either a first rotation angle or a second rotation angle to allow either the first primary X-ray beam or the second primary X-ray beam to impinge on a sample region.

A particle therapy system includes a building having a first floor and second floors and, a particle beam generator installed on the first floor and configured to generate a particle beam, a first transport system configured to transport a particle beam from the particle beam generator to a first irradiation system in a first treatment room, and a second transport system configured to transport a particle beam to a second irradiation system in a second treatment room, branched from the first transport system, via a second floor. The second transport system has a first bending magnet that bends a particle beam to the direction of the second floor different from the installation surface of the particle beam generator. The building has a shielding wall configured to shield the first floor and the second floor and the second transport system is provided penetrating the shielding wall.

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.

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.