A particle accelerator comprises a waveguide configured to accelerate a beam of electrons along an acceleration path. A diversion channel is configured to convey a beam of electrons along a diversion path. A first magnet arrangement is configured to, at a first location, direct electrons from the acceleration path to the diversion path. A second magnet arrangement is configured to, at a second location, direct electrons from the diversion path to the acceleration path.

An electron beam transport system for controlling the position of two different electron beams comprises: a main electron beam transport module; a first input electron beam transport module; a second input electron beam transport module; and a controller. The main electron beam transport module comprises a beam monitoring device disposed at a measurement position. The first input electron beam transport module comprises a first actuator for applying a perturbation to a transverse position of a first electron beam at a first actuation point. The second input electron beam transport module comprises a second actuator for applying a perturbation to a transverse position of a second electron beam at a second actuation point. The controller is operable to receive a signal from the beam monitoring device and to send control signals to the first actuator and the second actuator. The controller is operable to determine a first quantity indicative of a difference in a transverse position of the first and second electron beams and a second quantity indicative of an average transverse position of the first and second electron beams. The controller is further operable to control the trajectories of the first and second electron beams independently by implementing a first control loop that iteratively attempts to reduce the first quantity by using the first actuator to perturb a trajectory of the first electron beam, and a second control loop that iteratively perturbs a trajectory of the second electron beam using the second actuator such that the average transverse position of the two different electron beams moves towards a desired transverse position.

An electron beam transport system for controlling the position of two different electron beams comprises: a main electron beam transport module; a first input electron beam transport module; a second input electron beam transport module; and a controller. The main electron beam transport module comprises a beam monitoring device disposed at a measurement position. The first input electron beam transport module comprises a first actuator for applying a perturbation to a transverse position of a first electron beam at a first actuation point. The second input electron beam transport module comprises a second actuator for applying a perturbation to a transverse position of a second electron beam at a second actuation point. The controller is operable to receive a signal from the beam monitoring device and to send control signals to the first actuator and the second actuator. The controller is operable to determine a first quantity indicative of a difference in a transverse position of the first and second electron beams and a second quantity indicative of an average transverse position of the first and second electron beams. The controller is further operable to control the trajectories of the first and second electron beams independently by implementing a first control loop that iteratively attempts to reduce the first quantity by using the first actuator to perturb a trajectory of the first electron beam, and a second control loop that iteratively perturbs a trajectory of the second electron beam using the second actuator such that the average transverse position of the two different electron beams moves towards a desired transverse position.

A particle accelerator comprises a waveguide configured to accelerate a beam of electrons along an acceleration path. A diversion channel is configured to convey a beam of electrons along a diversion path. A first magnet arrangement is configured to, at a first location, direct electrons from the acceleration path to the diversion path. A second magnet arrangement is configured to, at a second location, direct electrons from the diversion path to the acceleration path.

A particle accelerator system, preferably including an injection beamline, a return beamline, and a merged beamline, and optionally including a beam separator. The particle accelerator system preferably includes a plurality of electron optics elements, such as dipole magnets, quadrupole magnets, solenoid elements, and/or higher-order magnetic elements, which can function to direct electrons (and/or other charged particles) along the beamlines. A method of operation, preferably including injecting electrons, merging beamlines, accelerating the injected electrons, and/or using the accelerated electrons, and optionally including receiving return electrons, dumping used electrons, and/or returning the accelerated electrons.