Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current/high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current/high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, arranged to transmit an ion beam. The drift tube assembly may include a first ground electrode; an RF drift tube assembly, disposed downstream of the first ground electrode; and a second ground electrode, disposed downstream of the RF drift tube assembly. The RF drift tube assembly may define a triple gap configuration. The apparatus may include a resonator, where the resonator comprises a toroidal coil, having a first end, connected to a first RF drift tube of the RF drift tube assembly, and a second end, connected to a second RF drift tube of the RF drift tube assembly.

An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, arranged to transmit an ion beam. The drift tube assembly may include a first ground electrode; an RF drift tube assembly, disposed downstream of the first ground electrode; and a second ground electrode, disposed downstream of the RF drift tube assembly. The RF drift tube assembly may define a triple gap configuration. The apparatus may include a resonator, where the resonator comprises a toroidal coil, having a first end, connected to a first RF drift tube of the RF drift tube assembly, and a second end, connected to a second RF drift tube of the RF drift tube assembly.

An ion implanter includes a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit for accelerating an ion beam. The high energy multistage linear acceleration unit includes high frequency accelerators in a plurality of stages provided along a beamline through which the ion beam travels, and electrostatic quadrupole lens devices in a plurality of stages provided along the beamline. The electrostatic quadrupole lens device in each of the stages includes a plurality of lens electrodes facing each other in a radial direction perpendicular to an axial direction, and disposed at an interval in a circumferential direction, an upstream side cover electrode covering a beamline upstream side of the plurality of lens electrodes and including a beam incident port, and a downstream side cover electrode covering a beamline downstream side of the plurality of lens electrodes and including a beam exiting port.

A reusable joint for a medical linac, a reusable CF choke flange for a medical linac, a linac and a method for forming a reusable joint for a medical linac are disclosed. The reusable joint comprises a CF choke flange, a CF cover flange and a gasket. The CF choke flange comprises a first waveguide aperture, a choke groove and a first CF groove comprising a first knife-edge, wherein the choke groove is disposed radially inwards from the first CF groove on the CF choke flange. The CF cover flange comprises a second waveguide aperture aligned with the first waveguide aperture and a second CF groove comprising a second knife-edge and aligned with the first CF groove. The gasket is disposed between and in contact with the first CF groove and the second CF groove.

A reusable joint for a medical linac, a reusable CF choke flange for a medical linac, a linac and a method for forming a reusable joint for a medical linac are disclosed. The reusable joint comprises a CF choke flange, a CF cover flange and a gasket. The CF choke flange comprises a first waveguide aperture, a choke groove and a first CF groove comprising a first knife-edge, wherein the choke groove is disposed radially inwards from the first CF groove on the CF choke flange. The CF cover flange comprises a second waveguide aperture aligned with the first waveguide aperture and a second CF groove comprising a second knife-edge and aligned with the first CF groove. The gasket is disposed between and in contact with the first CF groove and the second CF groove.

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

Disclosed herein is a waveguide cell having a helical cavity. The waveguide cell has a central axis and a cavity having a transverse cross section whose rotational position about the central axis varies along the central axis. There is also disclosed a method a determining the shape of a waveguide cell.