Interrupted particle source
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A synchrocyclotron comprising:
- magnetic structures to provide a magnetic field to a cavity;
a particle source to provide a plasma column to the cavity, the particle source having a housing to hold the plasma column, the housing being interrupted at an acceleration region to expose the plasma column, wherein the housing is interrupted such that the housing is completely separated at the acceleration region or such that a part of the housing is physically connected at the acceleration region; and
a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column at the acceleration region;
wherein, in a case that part of the housing is physically connected, the part of the housing has structure that allows particles accelerated from the plasma column to perform at least one turn without impinging on the part of the housing.
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Abstract
A synchrocyclotron includes magnetic structures to provide a magnetic field to a cavity, a particle source to provide a plasma column to the cavity, where the particle source has a housing to hold the plasma column, and where the housing is interrupted at an acceleration region to expose the plasma column, and a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column at the acceleration region.
591 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A synchrocyclotron comprising:
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magnetic structures to provide a magnetic field to a cavity; a particle source to provide a plasma column to the cavity, the particle source having a housing to hold the plasma column, the housing being interrupted at an acceleration region to expose the plasma column, wherein the housing is interrupted such that the housing is completely separated at the acceleration region or such that a part of the housing is physically connected at the acceleration region; and a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column at the acceleration region; wherein, in a case that part of the housing is physically connected, the part of the housing has structure that allows particles accelerated from the plasma column to perform at least one turn without impinging on the part of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A synchrocyclotron comprising:
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a tube containing a gas; a first cathode adjacent to a first end of the tube; and a second cathode adjacent to a second end of the tube, the first and second cathodes applying voltage to the tube to form a plasma column from the gas; wherein particles are available to be drawn from the plasma column for acceleration; and a circuit to couple energy from an external radio frequency (RF) field to at least one of the cathodes; wherein the tube is interrupted at an acceleration region where the particles are accelerated to expose the plasma column, wherein the tube is interrupted such that the tube is completely separated into two parts at the acceleration region or such that a part of the tube is physically connected at the acceleration region where the particles are accelerated; wherein, in a case that part of the tube is physically connected, the part of the tube has structure that allows particles accelerated from the plasma column to perform at least one turn without impinging on the part of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A synchrocyclotron comprising:
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a Penning ion gauge (PIG) source comprising a first tube portion and a second tube portion, the first tube portion and the second tube portion for holding a plasma column that extends across an acceleration region from which particles are accelerated from the plasma column; and a voltage source to provide a voltage at the acceleration region, the voltage for accelerating particles out of the plasma column at the acceleration region; wherein the first tube portion is completely separated from the second tube portion at the acceleration region or a connection exists between the first tube portion and the second tube portion at the acceleration region; wherein, in a case that the connection exists, the connection has structure that allows particles accelerated from the plasma column to perform at least one turn without impinging on the connection. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A particle accelerator comprising:
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a tube containing a gas; a first cathode adjacent to a first end of the tube; a second cathode adjacent to a second end of the tube, the first and second cathodes applying voltage to the tube to form a plasma column from the gas; wherein particles are available to be drawn from the plasma column for acceleration; a circuit to couple energy from an external radio frequency (RF) field to at least one of the cathodes; and magnetic structures to provide a magnetic field that crosses an acceleration region where the particles are accelerated, the magnetic field being greater than about 2 Tesla (T); wherein the tube is interrupted at the acceleration region where the particles are accelerated to expose the plasma column, and wherein the tube is interrupted such that the tube is completely separated into two parts at the acceleration region or such that a part of the tube is physically connected at the acceleration region where the particles are accelerated; wherein, in a case that part of the tube is physically connected, the part of the tube has structure that allows particles accelerated from the plasma column to perform at least one turn without impinging on the part of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification