Pulse-to-Pulse-Switchable Multiple-Energy Linear Accelerators Based on Fast RF Power Switching
First Claim
1. A method for modulating at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linear accelerator, the linear accelerator powered by a radio frequency (RF) source generating an RF field characterized by a phase, the method comprisingcoupling RF power into an accelerator section;
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for modulating at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linac for fast switching of particle beam energy on a time scale comparable with, and shorter than, the interval between linac pulses. Such modulation may be achieved by dividing, in a coupler, a radio-frequency (RF) field into field components and coherently adding these components in a phase shifting section to selectively direct the RF field to a chosen section of the linac. The phase shifting section may include at least one arm containing at least one fast switch and at least one phase changer. In specific embodiments, the phase shifting section may include an electronically controlled plasma switch and a plasma short.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for modulating at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linear accelerator, the linear accelerator powered by a radio frequency (RF) source generating an RF field characterized by a phase, the method comprising
coupling RF power into an accelerator section; - and
modulating the RF power, coupled into the accelerator section, by post-generation modulation of the RF field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A switch system for modulation of at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linear accelerator, the linear accelerators powered by a radio frequency (RF) source generating an RF field characterized by a phase, the switch system comprising:
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an hybrid coupler for dividing the generated RF field into components; and an RF phase-shifting section for receiving the components of the RF field from the hybrid coupler, the switch system coherently adding the field components. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A linear accelerator comprising:
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at least one accelerator section; and a switch system for modulation of at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linear accelerator, the switch system including; an hybrid coupler for dividing the generated RF field into components; and an RF phase-shifting section for receiving the RF field components from the hybrid coupler, the switch system for coherently adding the RF field components. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification