A particle accelerator comprising a waveguide comprising a series of acceleration cells. The series of acceleration cells comprise an input acceleration cell configured to accelerate a beam of electrons along the central axis of the cells. A source of electrons is configured to input a beam of electrons into the input acceleration cell and a magnet arrangement is configured to prevent electrons that have deviated from the beam of electrons from hitting the source of electrons.

A system and method for injecting an electron beam to an accelerator are provided. The system may include a cathode, an anode, and a modulation electrode. The cathode, for generating the electron beam, may have a first electrical potential. The anode may have a second electrical potential. The modulation electrode, located between the cathode and the anode, may be configured to adjust at least one parameter of the electron beam. The at least one parameter of the electron beam may include at least one transverse parameter of the electron beam.

Technology is described for an electron gun driver including a half bridge driver circuit and a drive controller. The half bridge driver circuit includes a drive circuit configured to generate a grid drive voltage for a grid connection of an electron gun, and a cutoff circuit configured to generate a grid cutoff voltage for the grid connection of the electron gun, and a gate driver configured to switch between the grid drive voltage and the grid cutoff voltage. The drive controller is configured to generate a pulse input to the drive circuit and cutoff circuit and grid switching signals for the gate driver.

A method is for closed-loop control of an X-ray pulse chain generated via a linear accelerator system. In an embodiment, the method includes modulating a first electron beam within a first radio-frequency pulse duration, wherein the first multiple amplitude X-ray pulse is produced on modulating the first electron beam; measuring time-resolved actual values of the first multiple amplitude X-ray pulse; adjusting at least one pulse parameter as a function of a comparison of the specified multiple amplitude X-ray pulse profile and the measured time-resolved actual values; and modulating a second electron beam within a second radio-frequency pulse duration as a function of the at least one adjusted pulse parameter for production of the second multiple amplitude X-ray pulse, so the X-ray pulse chain is controlled.

One or more examples relate, generally, to an apparatus. The apparatus includes a charged particle source and a charged particle pointer. The charged particle pointer urges charged particles emitted by the charged particle source in a predetermined direction. The charged particle pointer comprises a repeller, and an isolator positioned along a path extending from the repeller in the predetermined direction.

Embodiments of the disclosed system and method provide for generating a multiple-energy X-ray pulse. A beam of electrons is generated with an electron gun and modulated prior to injection into an accelerating structure to achieve at least a first and second specified beam current amplitude over the course of respective beam current temporal profiles. A radio frequency field is applied to the accelerating structure with a specified RF field amplitude and a specified RF temporal profile. The first and second specified beam current amplitudes are injected serially, each after a specified delay, in such a manner as to achieve at least two distinct energies of electrons accelerated within the accelerating structure during a course of a single RF-pulse. The beam of electrons is accelerated by the radio frequency field within the accelerating structure to produce accelerated electrons which impinge upon a target for generating Bremsstrahlung X-rays.

An injector arrangement for providing an electron beam. The injector arrangement comprises a first injector for providing electron bunches, and a second injector for providing electrons bunches. The injector arrangement is operable in a first mode in which the electron beam comprises electron bunches provided by the first injector only and a second mode in which the electron beam comprises electron bunches provided by the second injector only.

An apparatus for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation includes a whispering gallery mode resonator, coupled to an output waveguide through a coupling aperture. The resonator has a guiding surface, and supports a whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode. An electron source is configured to generate a velocity vector-modulated electron beam, where each electron in the velocity vector-modulated electron beam travels substantially perpendicular to the guiding surface, while interacting with the whispering gallery electromagnetic eigenmode in the whispering gallery mode resonator, generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation in the output waveguide.

A radioisotope production apparatus comprising an electron source arranged to provide an electron beam. The electron source comprises an electron injector and an electron accelerator. The radioisotope production apparatus further comprises a target support structure configured to hold a target and a beam splitter arranged to direct the a first portion of the electron beam along a first path towards a first side of the target and to direct a second portion of the electron beam along a second path towards a second side of the target.

A method is for closed-loop control of an X-ray pulse chain generated via a linear accelerator system. In an embodiment, the method includes modulating a first electron beam within a first radio-frequency pulse duration, wherein the first multiple amplitude X-ray pulse is produced on modulating the first electron beam; measuring time-resolved actual values of the first multiple amplitude X-ray pulse; adjusting at least one pulse parameter as a function of a comparison of the specified multiple amplitude X-ray pulse profile and the measured time-resolved actual values; and modulating a second electron beam within a second radio-frequency pulse duration as a function of the at least one adjusted pulse parameter for production of the second multiple amplitude X-ray pulse, so the X-ray pulse chain is controlled.