A resonant apparatus such as a resonant waveguide module in an RF particle accelerator includes an unbrazed joint that provides a reliable vacuum seal and RF contact between resonators with precisely controlled internal geometry. The joint can be disassembled and reassembled without degradation. Hard, stainless steel end faces include knife edges pressed into a copper central component, such as a gasket. The knife edges extend the waveguide interiors without gaps or interruptions. The central component serves as a coupling iris or other functional component of the resonant apparatus, thereby allowing the central component to have substantial dimensions that inhibit mechanical distortions thereof. The waveguides and knife edges can be copper plated. Embodiments include embedded passages and/or recesses used for cooling, radiation shielding, magnetic focusing coils, and/or electron optics element formed by permanent magnets.

A charge stripping film for an ion beam includes a single layer body of a graphitic film having a carbon component of at least 96 at % and a thermal conductivity in a film surface direction at 25 C. of at least 800 W/mK, or a laminated body of the graphitic film. The charge stripping film has a thickness of 100 nm to 10 m, a tensile strength in a film surface direction of at least 5 MPa, a coefficient of thermal expansion in the film surface direction of at least 110.sup.5/K, and an area of at least 4 cm.sup.2.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for directing positively charged particles, comprising the steps of: (1) directing the positively charged particles along a beamline; (2) rotating a cantilevered rotatable gantry arm, both connected to a rotatable gantry support and supporting the beamline, about a horizontal rotation axis of the rotatable gantry support; and (3) countering torque, of at least the cantilevered rotatable gantry arm, about the rotation axis using a counterweight connected to the rotatable gantry support. Optionally, the gantry movement is used as part of rotating the rotatable gantry arm three hundred sixty degrees around an inner gantry arm side motion defined volume, which allows access to one side of a treatment room and the gantry arc swept volume, such as for entrance, mounting a patient positioning system, and/or for a ground based support structure.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for directing positively charged particles, comprising the steps of: (1) directing the positively charged particles along a beamline; (2) rotating a cantilevered rotatable gantry arm, both connected to a rotatable gantry support and supporting the beamline, about a horizontal rotation axis of the rotatable gantry support; and (3) countering torque, of at least the cantilevered rotatable gantry arm, about the rotation axis using a counterweight connected to the rotatable gantry support. Optionally, the gantry movement is used as part of rotating the rotatable gantry arm three hundred sixty degrees around an inner gantry arm side motion defined volume, which allows access to one side of a treatment room and the gantry arc swept volume, such as for entrance, mounting a patient positioning system, and/or for a ground based support structure.

Methods for generating a multiple-energy X-ray pulse. A beam of electrons is generated with an electron gun and modulated prior to injection into an accelerating structure to achieve at least a first and specified beam current amplitude over the course of respective beam current temporal profiles. A radio frequency field is applied to the accelerating structure with a specified RF field amplitude and a specified RF temporal profile. The first and second specified beam current amplitudes are injected serially, each after a specified delay, in such a manner as to achieve at least two distinct endpoint energies of electrons accelerated within the accelerating structure during a course of a single RF-pulse. The beam of electrons is accelerated by the radio frequency field within the accelerating structure to produce accelerated electrons which impinge upon a target for generating Bremsstrahlung X-rays.

Methods for generating a multiple-energy X-ray pulse. A beam of electrons is generated with an electron gun and modulated prior to injection into an accelerating structure to achieve at least a first and specified beam current amplitude over the course of respective beam current temporal profiles. A radio frequency field is applied to the accelerating structure with a specified RF field amplitude and a specified RF temporal profile. The first and second specified beam current amplitudes are injected serially, each after a specified delay, in such a manner as to achieve at least two distinct endpoint energies of electrons accelerated within the accelerating structure during a course of a single RF-pulse. The beam of electrons is accelerated by the radio frequency field within the accelerating structure to produce accelerated electrons which impinge upon a target for generating Bremsstrahlung X-rays.

A pulsed ion current antenna includes an enclosed racetrack having an interior configured to be placed under vacuum. The enclosed racetrack has an ion injection zone, a beam merging zone, a first beam bending zone, a beam return zone, and a second beam bending zone. An ion source is provided at an end of the ion injection zone. Two parallel magnet plates are provided in each of the first and second beam bending zones, configured to produce a respective magnetic field that bends a path of travel of an ion beam within the enclosed racetrack. A plurality of loop coils are configured to generate magnetic fields to shape travel of ions within the enclosed racetrack such that ions from the ion source that are injected through the ion injection zone are merged in the beam merging zone into an ion beam within the enclosed racetrack.

A pulsed ion current antenna includes an enclosed racetrack having an interior configured to be placed under vacuum. The enclosed racetrack has an ion injection zone, a beam merging zone, a first beam bending zone, a beam return zone, and a second beam bending zone. An ion source is provided at an end of the ion injection zone. Two parallel magnet plates are provided in each of the first and second beam bending zones, configured to produce a respective magnetic field that bends a path of travel of an ion beam within the enclosed racetrack. A plurality of loop coils are configured to generate magnetic fields to shape travel of ions within the enclosed racetrack such that ions from the ion source that are injected through the ion injection zone are merged in the beam merging zone into an ion beam within the enclosed racetrack.

An apparatus for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation includes a whispering gallery mode resonator, coupled to an output waveguide through a coupling aperture. The resonator has a guiding surface, and supports a whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode. An electron source is configured to generate a velocity vector-modulated electron beam, where each electron in the velocity vector-modulated electron beam travels substantially perpendicular to the guiding surface, while interacting with the whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode in the whispering gallery mode resonator, generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation in the output waveguide.

An apparatus for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation includes a whispering gallery mode resonator, coupled to an output waveguide through a coupling aperture. The resonator has a guiding surface, and supports a whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode. An electron source is configured to generate a velocity vector-modulated electron beam, where each electron in the velocity vector-modulated electron beam travels substantially perpendicular to the guiding surface, while interacting with the whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode in the whispering gallery mode resonator, generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation in the output waveguide.