Ion source apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An ion source tube for sustaining a plasma discharge therein, the ion source tube comprising:
- a slit opening along a side of the ion source tube, wherein the slit opening has a width less than 0.29 mm;
an end opening in an end of the ion source tube, wherein the end opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the ion source tube and is displaced by 0–
1.5 mm from a central axis of the ion source tube toward the slit opening; and
a cavity that accommodates the plasma discharge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and apparatus that can improve the lifetime and performance of an ion source in a cyclotron. According to one embodiment, the invention comprises an ion source tube for sustaining a plasma discharge therein. The ion source tube comprises a slit opening along a side of the ion source tube, wherein the slit opening has a width less than 0.29 mm. The ion source tube also comprises an end opening in an end of the ion source tube. The end opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the ion source tube and is displaced by 0–1.5 mm from a central axis of the ion source tube toward the slit opening. The plasma column is displaced 0.2 to 0.5 mm relative the slit opening. The ion source tube comprises a cavity that accommodates the plasma discharge. The invention also relates to a method for making an ion source tube.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An ion source tube for sustaining a plasma discharge therein, the ion source tube comprising:
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a slit opening along a side of the ion source tube, wherein the slit opening has a width less than 0.29 mm; an end opening in an end of the ion source tube, wherein the end opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the ion source tube and is displaced by 0–
1.5 mm from a central axis of the ion source tube toward the slit opening; anda cavity that accommodates the plasma discharge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for making an ion source tube, the method comprising:
forming an ion source tube, the ion source tube comprising; a slit opening along a side of the ion source tube, wherein the slit opening has a width of less than 0.29 mm; an end opening in an end of the ion source tube, wherein the end opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the ion source tube and is displaced by 0–
1.5 mm from a central axis of the ion source tube toward the slit opening; anda cavity in which the plasma discharge is located. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A PET tracer production system, the system comprising:
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a target comprising atoms of a first type; an ion source adapted to produce one or more ions from a plasma discharge; and a particle accelerator capable of accelerating the one or more ions and directing the one or more ions towards the target to change the atoms of the first type to atoms of a second type; wherein the ion source comprises an ion source tube, the ion source tube comprising; a slit opening along a side of the ion source tube, wherein the slit opening has a width less than 0.29 mm; an end opening in an end of the ion source tube, wherein the end opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the ion source tube and is displaced by 0–
1.5 mm from a central axis of the ion source tube toward the slit opening; anda cavity that accommodates the plasma discharge. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification