A system for injecting radio frequency (RF) pulses into an RF linear accelerator (RF LINAC) cavity is described. In accordance with the description an RF power amplifying element, typically a compact planar triode (CPT), is directly mounted to an outside of a hermetically sealed RF cavity. The direct mounting of the RF power amplifying element places the antennaresponsible for coupling power into the RF cavityphysically on the RF cavity side of a hermetic high-voltage (HV) break. The RF input, RF circuitry, biasing circuitry, and RF power amplifier are all outside of the vacuum cavity region. The direct mounting arrangement facilitates easy inspection and replacement of the RF power amplifier, the RF input and biasing circuitry. The direct mounting arrangement also mitigates the deleterious effects of multipactoring associated with placing the RF power amplifier and associated RF circuitry in the vacuum environment of the RF LINAC cavity.

Disclosed herein is a waveguide for use in a linear accelerator. The waveguide comprises cells arranged to receive a beam of charged particles therethrough along a particle path, and is configured to receive an electromagnetic field from a source of electromagnetic radiation. A plurality of the cells are individually switchable cells, with each individually switchable cell comprising a respective switch configured to adjust the supply of electromagnetic radiation to the individually switchable cell.

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 linear accelerator is provided. The linear accelerator includes a plurality of cells. Each cell includes an outer ring comprising a first material; an inner ring, comprising a second material, and at least one end plate in physical contact with the outer ring and the inner ring and having beam aperture therethrough. The first material is substantially electrically conductive and the second material is substantially not electrically conductive. The inner ring is centered within the outer ring. The beam aperture of each cell of the plurality of cells are aligned to define a beam path.

A diaphragm flange for connecting the tubes in a particle accelerator while minimizing beamline impedance. The diaphragm flange includes an outer flange and a thin diaphragm integral with the outer flange. Bolt holes in the outer flange provide a means for bolting the diaphragm flange to an adjacent flange or beam tube having a mating bolt-hole pattern. The diaphragm flange includes a first surface for connection to the tube of a particle accelerator beamline and a second surface for connection to a CF flange. The second surface includes a recessed surface therein and a knife-edge on the recessed surface. The diaphragm includes a thickness that enables flexing of the integral diaphragm during assembly of beamline components. The knife-edge enables compression of a soft metal gasket to provide a leak-tight seal.

Embodiments of systems, devices, and methods relate to initiating beam transport for an accelerator system. An example method includes increasing a bias voltage of one or more electrodes of the accelerator system to a first voltage level and extracting a charged particle beam from a beam source such that the beam is transported through the accelerator system. The beam has a beam current at a first beam current level that results in a first transient voltage drop of the accelerator system within a threshold. The method further includes increasing the beam current at a rate that results in one or more subsequent transient voltage drops of the accelerator system until the accelerator system has reached nominal conditions. The one or more subsequent transient voltage drops are within the threshold. Another example method includes biasing one or more electrodes of an accelerator system to a voltage level and selectively extracting, according to a duty cycle function, a charged particle beam from a beam source such that the charged particle beam is transported through the accelerator system. The duty cycle function can be linear or non-linear and can include a frequency f. The duty cycle function can include a variable pulse duration such that the variable pulse duration increases over time with each selective extraction of the charged particle beam.

Methods, devices and systems for ultra-high dose radiotherapy are disclosed. The described techniques rely in-part on active switching control of a photoconductive switch during the time the accelerator is accelerating charged particles to produce the output radiation at the desired dose rates. One radiotherapy system includes a particle accelerator configured to receive charged particles from a pulsed source. The particle accelerator includes a pipe configured to allow the charged particles to pass through as a beam, a magnetic core positioned proximate to the pipe and coupled to the pulsed source, and at least one multilayer insulator positioned adjacent to the pipe and the magnetic core. The system also includes a photoconductive switch coupled to the particle accelerator and configured to supply the particle accelerator with a plurality of voltage pulses.

A power feedthrough assembly for a linear accelerator. The power feedthrough assembly may include an insulating housing, comprising a curved ceramic shell, and a conductive rod, coupled to deliver an RF voltage to a given acceleration stage of the linear accelerator, where the conductive rod extends through an aperture in the insulating housing. The power feedthrough assembly may also include a flange, coupled to mechanically connect the insulating housing to a wall of the linear accelerator. As such, the insulating housing may include a coupling structure that couples the insulating housing to the conductive rod and to the flange, wherein the coupling structure comprises at least one protrusion configured to couple with an external structure that is located in the flange or the conductive rod.