Traveling wave linear accelerator comprising a frequency controller for interleaved multi-energy operation
First Claim
1. A method of operating a traveling wave linear accelerator, comprising:
- coupling an electromagnetic wave having a first frequency and a first amplitude from an electromagnetic wave source to an input of an accelerator structure of the traveling wave linear accelerator;
accelerating a first electron beam injected by an electron gun into the accelerator structure to a first energy using the electromagnetic wave; and
monitoring a first phase shift of the electromagnetic wave using a frequency controller interfaced with the input and an output of the accelerator structure,wherein the frequency controller compares a phase of the electromagnetic wave at the input of the accelerator structure to a phase of the electromagnetic wave at the output of the accelerator structure to monitor the first phase shift,wherein the frequency controller transmits a first signal to a first oscillator based on the first phase shift, andwherein the first oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a subsequent electromagnetic wave at a corrected frequency based on the magnitude of the first phase shift of the electromagnetic wave.
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Abstract
An electromagnetic wave having a phase velocity and an amplitude is provided by an electromagnetic wave source to a traveling wave linear accelerator. The traveling wave linear accelerator generates a first output of electrons having a first energy by accelerating an electron beam using the electromagnetic wave. The first output of electrons can be contacted with a target to provide a first beam of x-rays. The electromagnetic wave can be modified by adjusting its amplitude and the phase velocity. The traveling wave linear accelerator then generates a second output of electrons having a second energy by accelerating an electron beam using the modified electromagnetic wave. The second output of electrons can be contacted with a target to provide a second beam of x-rays. A frequency controller can monitor the phase shift of the electromagnetic wave from the input to the output ends of the accelerator and can correct the phase shift of the electromagnetic wave based on the measured phase shift.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a traveling wave linear accelerator, comprising:
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coupling an electromagnetic wave having a first frequency and a first amplitude from an electromagnetic wave source to an input of an accelerator structure of the traveling wave linear accelerator; accelerating a first electron beam injected by an electron gun into the accelerator structure to a first energy using the electromagnetic wave; and monitoring a first phase shift of the electromagnetic wave using a frequency controller interfaced with the input and an output of the accelerator structure, wherein the frequency controller compares a phase of the electromagnetic wave at the input of the accelerator structure to a phase of the electromagnetic wave at the output of the accelerator structure to monitor the first phase shift, wherein the frequency controller transmits a first signal to a first oscillator based on the first phase shift, and wherein the first oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a subsequent electromagnetic wave at a corrected frequency based on the magnitude of the first phase shift of the electromagnetic wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A traveling wave linear accelerator comprising:
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an accelerator structure having an input and an output; an electromagnetic wave source coupled to the accelerator structure to provide an electromagnetic wave to the accelerator structure; and a frequency controller interfaced with the input and output of the accelerator structure to compare the phase of the electromagnetic wave at the input of the accelerator structure to the phase of the electromagnetic wave at the output of the accelerator structure to detect a phase shift of the electromagnetic wave, wherein the frequency controller transmits a signal to an oscillator, and wherein the oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a subsequent electromagnetic wave at a modified frequency based on the magnitude of the phase shift detected by the frequency controller, wherein the accelerator structure accelerates a first electron beam from an electron gun to a first energy using a first electromagnetic wave provided by the electromagnetic wave source, the first electromagnetic wave having a first amplitude and a first frequency in the accelerator structure, wherein the frequency controller monitors a first phase shift of the first electromagnetic wave, and transmits a first signal to the oscillator based on the magnitude of the first phase shift, wherein the accelerator structure accelerates a second electron beam from the electron gun to a second energy using a second electromagnetic wave provided by the electromagnetic wave source, the second electromagnetic wave having a second amplitude and a second frequency in the accelerator structure, and wherein the frequency controller monitors a second phase shift of the second electromagnetic wave, and transmits a second signal to the oscillator based on the magnitude of the second phase shift. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a traveling wave linear accelerator, comprising:
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coupling a first electromagnetic wave having a first amplitude and a first frequency in an accelerator structure of the traveling wave linear accelerator from an electromagnetic wave source to an input of the accelerator structure; generating a first output of electrons having a first energy from an output of the accelerator structure by accelerating a first electron beam using the first electromagnetic wave; and monitoring a first phase shift of the first electromagnetic wave using a frequency controller interfaced with the input and the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the frequency controller compares a phase of the first electromagnetic wave at the input of the accelerator structure to a phase of the first electromagnetic wave near the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the frequency controller transmits a first signal to an oscillator based on the first phase shift, and wherein the oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a second electromagnetic wave having a second frequency in the accelerator structure based on the magnitude of the first phase shift of the first electromagnetic wave. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A traveling wave linear accelerator comprising:
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an accelerator structure having an input and an output; an electromagnetic wave source coupled to the accelerator structure to provide an electromagnetic wave to the accelerator structure; an electron energy spectrum monitor positioned near the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the electron energy spectrum monitor provides (a) an indication of a first energy spectrum of a first output of electrons from the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the first output of electrons was accelerated in the accelerator structure using a first electromagnetic wave having a first amplitude and a first frequency, and (b) an indication of a second energy spectrum of a second output of electrons from the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the second output of electrons was accelerated in the accelerator structure using a second electromagnetic wave having a second amplitude and a second frequency, wherein the second amplitude has about the same magnitude as the first amplitude, and wherein the second frequency has a different magnitude than the first frequency; and a frequency controller interfaced with the electron energy spectrum monitor, wherein the frequency controller compares the indication of the first energy spectrum to the indication of the second energy spectrum and transmits a signal to an oscillator based on the comparison, wherein the oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a third electromagnetic wave at a third frequency and a third amplitude to stabilize an energy spectrum of a third output of electrons accelerated using the third electromagnetic wave, and wherein the third amplitude has about the same magnitude as the first amplitude.
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25. A traveling wave linear accelerator comprising:
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an accelerator structure having an input and an output; an electromagnetic wave source coupled to the accelerator structure to provide an electromagnetic wave to the accelerator structure; an x-ray yield monitor positioned near the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the x-ray yield monitor provides (a) an indication of a first yield of a first beam of x-rays at the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the first beam of x-rays is generated using a first set of electrons that is accelerated in the accelerator structure by a first electromagnetic wave having a first amplitude and a first frequency, and (b) an indication of a second yield of a second beam of x-rays at the output of the accelerator structure, wherein the second beam of x-rays is generated using a second set of electrons that is accelerated in the accelerator structure by a second electromagnetic wave having a second amplitude and a second frequency, wherein the second amplitude has about the same magnitude as the first amplitude, and wherein the second frequency has a different magnitude than the first frequency; and a frequency controller interfaced with the x-ray yield monitor, wherein the frequency controller compares the indication of the first yield of the first beam of x-rays to the indication of the second yield of the second beam of x-rays and transmits a signal to an oscillator based on the comparison, and wherein the oscillator causes the electromagnetic wave source to generate a third electromagnetic wave at a third frequency and a third amplitude to maximize a yield of a third beam of x-rays generated using a third set of electrons that is accelerated in the accelerator structure by the third electromagnetic wave, wherein the third amplitude has about the same magnitude as the first amplitude.
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26. A method of tuning a traveling wave linear accelerator, comprising:
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providing a carrier wave having a phase velocity and an amplitude; generating a first X-ray beam having a first energy level by accelerating an electron beam using the carrier wave; modifying the carrier wave by adjusting the amplitude and the phase velocity; and generating a second X-ray beam having a second energy level by accelerating the electron beam using the modified carrier wave.
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Specification