Described is a method of determining whether repair or replacement of an electron gun of a radiotherapy device should be scheduled. The radiotherapy device comprises a linear accelerator and is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising the electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation. The radiotherapy device comprises also comprises a current sensor, the current sensor being configured to provide signals indicative of current supplied to the electron gun. The method comprises receiving a current value, processing the current value, and based on the processing of the current value, determining whether repair or replacement of the electron gun should be scheduled. Processing the current value comprises determining whether the current value meets at least one threshold criterion, and determining whether the current value has changed by at least a threshold amount in a particular time period.

Provided is a charged particle beam source having an emitter that can be replaced easily. The charged particle beam source includes an electron gun chamber; a first unit including both a supportive insulative member mechanically supporting a cable and a first set of terminals electrically connected to the cable; and a second unit including both the emitter that releases charged particles and a second set of terminals electrically connected to the emitter. The chamber has a side wall provided with a through-hole in which the first unit is secured. The second unit can be detachably mounted to the first unit. Within the chamber, the emitter is placed on an optical axis, so that the first and second sets of terminals are brought into contact with each other.

An electron gun, an X-ray source and a CT device are provided. The electron gun includes a body having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to each other, wherein the first end portion is a connecting end portion; an internal cavity is formed in the body and has an opening positioned on the second end portion; a cathode, a grid, a compensation electrode and a focus electrode, orderly arranged in the internal cavity in a direction from the first end portion to the second end portion.

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.

A method for detecting electron beam filament wear in an electron beam source, the method comprising the steps of: enlarging a beam spot emanating from the electron beam source on a work table to a predetermined minimum size, capturing an image of the beam spot on the work table by a camera, comparing the captured image of the beam spot with a reference image, and detecting filament wear if the captured image is deviating more than a predetermined value from the reference image.

An electron gun, an X-ray source and a CT device are provided. The electron gun includes a body having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to each other, wherein the first end portion is a connecting end portion; an internal cavity is formed in the body and has an opening positioned on the second end portion,d a cathode, a grid, a compensation electrode and a focus electrode, orderly arranged in the internal cavity in a direction from the first end portion to the second end portion.

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.

Described is a method of determining whether repair or replacement of an electron gun of a radiotherapy device should be scheduled. The radiotherapy device comprises a linear accelerator and is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising the electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation. The radiotherapy device comprises also comprises a current sensor, the current sensor being configured to provide signals indicative of current supplied to the electron gun. The method comprises receiving a current value, processing the current value, and based on the processing of the current value, determining whether repair or replacement of the electron gun should be scheduled. Processing the current value comprises determining whether the current value meets at least one threshold criterion, and determining whether the current value has changed by at least a threshold amount in a particular time period.