A Thorium molten salt energy system is disclosed that includes a proton beam source for producing a proton beam, that can vary between a first energy level and a second energy level of, where the generated proton bean can be directed into a main assembly containing both Thorium-containing molten salt and Thorium fuel rods, each containing an inner Beryllium element and an outer solid Thorium element. The generated proton beam can be shaped and directed to impinge upon Lithium within the molten salt to promote the generation of thermal neutrons and the fission of Uranium within the molten salt. The generated proton beam can also be shaped and directed to impinge upon the Beryllium within the Thorium fuel rods to promote the generation of high energy neutrons.

An apparatus for guiding, in particular directing or accelerating, charged particles (50), comprising: a substrate (110) having a surface (115); an optically thinner layer (120) formed on the surface (115); an inhomogeneous channel (130) which is formed by two mutually opposite delimiting structures on a side of the layer (120) that is opposite the substrate (110); and a radiation device which is designed to generate at least one pulsed laser beam (140) and inject the at least one pulsed laser beam (140) into the channel (130) from a side that is opposite the optically thinner layer (120). The layer (120) for the laser beam (140) is optically thin, and the delimiting structures have a high optical density in comparison with the layer (120). The delimiting structures are designed to guide the particles (50) by means of the laser beam (140) in the channel (130) and alternatingly focus them along the channel (130) and in at least one direction perpendicular to the channel (130).

An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly having a plurality of drift tubes to conduct an ion beam along a beam propagation direction. The plurality of drift tubes may define a multi-gap configuration corresponding to a plurality of acceleration gaps, wherein at least one powered drift tube of the drift tube assembly is coupled to receive an RF voltage signal. The apparatus may also include a DC electrode assembly that includes a conductor line, arranged within a resonator coil that is coupled to receive a DC voltage signal into the at least one powered drift tube. The DC electrode assembly may also include a DC electrode arrangement, connected to the conductor line and disposed within the at least one powered drift tube.

Embodiments herein are directed to a linear accelerator assembly for an ion implanter. In some embodiments, a LINAC may include a coil resonator and a plurality of drift tubes coupled to the coil resonator by a set of flexible leads.

An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, comprising a plurality of drift tubes to conduct an ion beam along a beam propagation direction. The plurality of drift tubes may define a multi-gap configuration corresponding to a plurality of acceleration gaps, wherein the plurality of drift tubes further define a plurality of RF quadrupoles, respectively. As such, the plurality of quadrupoles are arranged to defocus the ion beam along a first direction at the plurality of acceleration gaps, respectively, where the first direction extends perpendicularly to the beam propagation direction.

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example of the disclosed method includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, the molten salt fuel comprising Thorium and at least one salt containing a nucleus capable of interacting with a proton of sufficient energy to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at a first energy level and generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the at least one salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at the first energy level. In the example, the externally generated proton beam is directed into the vessel such that at least some protons forming the beam will interact with an atom forming a part of the at least one salt contained in the vessel to causing interaction between the externally generated proton beam and the at least one salt contained in the vessel to produce (p, n) reactions resulting in the generation of neutrons within the vessel and an absorption reaction involving the generated neutrons and Thorium within the vessel. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton's interaction with the at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction where the fission reaction increases. the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

A superconducting accelerator includes an acceleration cavity, and a refrigerant tank at an outer circumference of the acceleration cavity. The gap between the refrigerant tank and the acceleration cavity is filled with a refrigerant for cooling the acceleration cavity. A pair of pressing members is provided to an outer circumference of the refrigerant tank to be positioned at both side ends of the acceleration cavity in a direction of a beam axis of the charged particle beam or at both ends of the acceleration cavity in a direction perpendicular to the beam axis. A wire is continuously wound around the outer circumference of the refrigerant tank and configured to generate a tensile force in a direction in which the pressing members are brought come into close each other. A tension adjustor is configured to adjust the tensile force generated by the wire.

The invention provides a method for accelerating protons and carbon ions up to 450 MeV/u in a very compact linac, the method comprising subjecting the particles to a radio frequency quadrupole field to accelerate the particles to at least 3 MeV/u, a drift tube linac (DTL) to an energy of 20 MeV/u, followed by a coupled DTL to 45 MeV/u and finally a high-gradient section made of CCL-type standing wave cavities or negative harmonic traveling wave cavities operating at S-band frequencies and capable of delivering voltage gradients of 40 to 60 MV/m. Focusing the accelerated particles while accelerated to higher energy is provided by appropriately placed constant field permanent magnets and electromagnetic quadrupoles. The compactness and power efficiency of the linac is enabled by using high-gradient structure in the S-band frequencies for lower energy particles than ever before. The low-intensity required for hadron therapy allows the use of small-aperture S-band structures and the operation at very high gradient compared to high-intensity machines for research. Operating with very short sub-microsecond pulses at repetition rates up to 400 Hz allows the fast and flexible beam energy and intensity tuning not provided by existing hadron therapy machines. The designed linac is capable of accelerating ions as heavy as neon to the full 450 MeV/u energy, therefore allowing fast beam switching if different ion sources are installed in the front-end of the linac.

Embodiments herein are directed to a linear accelerator assembly for an ion implanter. In some embodiments, a LINAC may include a coil resonator and a plurality of drift tubes coupled to the coil resonator by a set of flexible leads.

A superconducting accelerator includes an acceleration cavity, and a refrigerant tank at an outer circumference of the acceleration cavity. The gap between the refrigerant tank and the acceleration cavity is filled with a refrigerant for cooling the acceleration cavity. A pair of pressing members is provided to an outer circumference of the refrigerant tank to be positioned at both side ends of the acceleration cavity in a direction of a beam axis of the charged particle beam or at both ends of the acceleration cavity in a direction perpendicular to the beam axis. A wire is continuously wound around the outer circumference of the refrigerant tank and configured to generate a tensile force in a direction in which the pressing members are brought come into close each other. A tension adjustor is configured to adjust the tensile force generated by the wire.