A compact particle accelerator can include two or more cavities disposed along an axis of the particle accelerator, each of which is coupled to two or more drivers. The accelerator can also include a power supply coupled to the two or more drivers such that a particle beam traveling along the axis is accelerated. The power supply can be an interface with a commercial power outlet, battery power, or a combination thereof depending upon the use case. Example configurations of the accelerator include hand held or mobile devices that are capable of delivering up to and greater than a 1 MeV electron beam.

A system and associated method are described for depositing high-quality films for providing a coating on a three-dimensional surface such as an internal surface of a bellows structure. The system includes a magnetic array comprising multiple sets of magnets arranged to have Hall-Effect regions that run lengthwise along a sputter target. The system further includes an elongated sputtering electrode material tube surrounding the magnetic array comprising multiple sets of magnets arranged to have Hall-Effect regions that run lengthwise along the sputter target. During operation, the system generates and controls ion flux for direct current high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. During operation logic circuitry issues a control signal to control a kick pulse property of a sustained positive voltage kick pulse taken from the group consisting of: onset delay, amplitude and duration.

A system (12) is proposed for the acceleration of ions to treat Atrial Fibrillation (AF), arteriovenous malformations (AVMS) and focal epileptic lesions; this system (12) includes a pulsed ion source (1), a pre-accelerator (3) and one or more linear accelerators or linacs (5, 6, 7) operating at frequencies above 1 GHz with a repetition rate between 1 Hz and 500 Hz. The particle beam coming out of the complex (12) can vary (i) in intensity, (ii) in deposition depth and (iii) transversally with respect to the central beam direction. The possibility of adjusting in a few milliseconds and in three orthogonal directions, the location of each energy deposition in the body of the patient makes that system of accelerators (12) perfectly suited to irradiation of a beating heart.

A system (12) is proposed for the acceleration of ions to treat Atrial Fibrillation (AF), arteriovenous malformations (AVMS) and focal epileptic lesions; this system (12) includes a pulsed ion source (1), a pre-accelerator (3) and one or more linear accelerators or linacs (5, 6, 7) operating at frequencies above 1 GHz with a repetition rate between 1 Hz and 500 Hz. The particle beam coming out of the complex (12) can vary (i) in intensity, (ii) in deposition depth and (iii) transversally with respect to the central beam direction. The possibility of adjusting in a few milliseconds and in three orthogonal directions, the location of each energy deposition in the body of the patient makes that system of accelerators (12) perfectly suited to irradiation of a beating heart.

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

Proton beams are a promising alternative to X-rays for therapeutic purposes because they may also destroy cancer cells, but with a greatly reduced damage to healthy tissue. The energy dose in tissue may be concentrated at the tumor site by configuring the beam to position the Bragg Peak proximate the tumor. The longitudinal range of a proton beam in tissue is generally dependent upon the energy of the beam. However, after switching energies, the proton-beam system requires some time for the beam energy to stabilize before it may be used for therapy. A proton linear accelerator system is provided for irradiating tissue with an improved beam energy control, configured to provide RF energy from a first RF energy source during the on-time of the proton beam operating cycle for changing the energy of the proton beam, and to provide RF energy from a second distinct RF energy source during the off-time of the proton beam operating cycle for increasing or maintaining the temperature of the cavity. Each RF source is operated independently, allowing higher RF pulse rates to reach the cavity, supporting a smaller time between proton beam energy pulses. In addition, the peak power requirements for the second RF energy source may, in general, be less than for the second RF energy source, allowing a less costly type to be used for the second source. The use of a first and second RF source may reduce the cavity settling time from minutes to less than 10 seconds.

Proton beams are a promising alternative to X-rays for therapeutic purposes because they may also destroy cancer cells, but with a greatly reduced damage to healthy tissue. The energy dose in tissue may be concentrated at the tumor site by configuring the beam to position the Bragg Peak proximate the tumor. The longitudinal range of a proton beam in tissue is generally dependent upon the energy of the beam. However, after switching energies, the proton-beam system requires some time for the beam energy to stabilize before it may be used for therapy. A proton linear accelerator system is provided for irradiating tissue with an improved beam energy control, configured to provide RF energy from a first RF energy source during the on-time of the proton beam operating cycle for changing the energy of the proton beam, and to provide RF energy from a second distinct RF energy source during the off-time of the proton beam operating cycle for increasing or maintaining the temperature of the cavity. Each RF source is operated independently, allowing higher RF pulse rates to reach the cavity, supporting a smaller time between proton beam energy pulses. In addition, the peak power requirements for the second RF energy source may, in general, be less than for the second RF energy source, allowing a less costly type to be used for the second source. The use of a first and second RF source may reduce the cavity settling time from minutes to less than 10 seconds.

An apparatus may include global control module, the global control module including a digital master clock generator and a master waveform generator. The apparatus may also include a plurality of resonator control modules, coupled to the global control module. A given resonator control module of the plurality of resonator control modules may include a synchronization module, having a first input coupled to receive a resonator output voltage pickup signal from a local resonator, a second input coupled to receive a digital master clock signal from the digital master clock generator, and a first output coupled to send a delay signal to the master waveform generator.

An apparatus may include global control module, the global control module including a digital master clock generator and a master waveform generator. The apparatus may also include a plurality of resonator control modules, coupled to the global control module. A given resonator control module of the plurality of resonator control modules may include a synchronization module, having a first input coupled to receive a resonator output voltage pickup signal from a local resonator, a second input coupled to receive a digital master clock signal from the digital master clock generator, and a first output coupled to send a delay signal to the master waveform generator.