Trends in accelerator technology for hadron therapy

Hadron therapy with protons and carbon ions is one of the most effective branches in radiation oncology. It has advantages over therapy using gamma radiation and electron beams. Fifty thousand patients a year need such treatment in Russia. A review of the main modern trends in the development of accelerators for therapy and treatment techniques concerned with respiratory gated irradiation and scanning with the intensity modulated pencil beams is given. The main stages of formation, time structure, and the main parameters of the beams used in proton therapy, as well as the requirements for medicine accelerators, are considered. The main results of testing with the beam of the C235-V3 cyclotron for the first Russian specialized hospital proton therapy center in Dimitrovgrad are presented. The use of superconducting accelerators and gantry systems for hadron therapy is considered.     

Simulation on buildup of electron cloud in a proton circular accelerator

Electron cloud interaction with high energy positive beams are believed responsible for various undesirable effects such as vacuum degradation, collective beam instability and even beam loss in high power proton circular accelerators. An important uncertainty in predicting electron cloud instability lies in the detailed processes of the generation and accumulation of the electron cloud. The simulation on the build-up of electron cloud is necessary to further studies on beam instability caused by electron clouds. The China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS) is an intense proton accelerator facility now being built, whose accelerator complex includes two main parts: an H-linac and a rapid cycling synchrotron(RCS). The RCS accumulates the 80 Me V proton beam and accelerates it to 1.6 Ge V with a repetition rate of 25 Hz. During beam injection with lower energy, the emerging electron cloud may cause serious instability and beam loss on the vacuum pipe. A simulation code has been developed to simulate the build-up,distribution and density of electron cloud in CSNS/RCS.     

Energy spectra in water for the 6 MV X-ray therapeutic beam generated by Clinac-2300 linac

There is a lack of extensive data comprising energy spectra of therapeutic beams used in teleradiotherapy, generated by medical linear accelerators. In particular there is a lack of the data for energy spectra in water. However, the spectra in water differ from those in air significantly because of strong photon scattering processes. The aim of this paper was the presentation of the wide range of detailed data for the 6 MV X-ray therapeutic beams from a medical linear accelerator Clinac-2300 by Varian. The presented data were derived by the use of Monte Carlo computer simulations (GEANT4 code). The performed investigations indicate that shapes of the spectra, total number of photon registered in a bin as well as mean energy of the considered beam depend on a depth in water, on a distance from the central-axis of the beam and on a radiation field size. However, shapes of the spectra as well as the beam mean energy does not depend on a bin size, independently of a depth in water and a radiation field whereas total number of photon registered in a bin is related to a bin size. Majority of the presented results were obtained for a cylindrical 1.41 cm³ bin with the radius of 1.5 cm. The obtained data are very useful for the accurate absorbed depth-dose determination particularly outside the reference conditions, for advanced treatment planning systems, for constructors of medical accelerators etc.     

High-power Čerenkov microwave oscillators utilizing High-Current nanosecond Electron beams

A short review is given of results obtained at the Institute of High-Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences on generating high-power microwave radiation. Most of the research was devoted to a study of stimulated Čerenkov radiation from relativistic electron beams. It is shown that the efficiency of a relativistic 3-cm backward wave tube with a nonuniform coupling resistance can reach 35%. High-frequency radiation was discovered in the emission spectrum of the Čerenkov oscillators and it was shown that the nature of the radiation was associated with the stimulated scattering of low-frequency radiation by the relativistic electrons. Radiation with a power of 500 MW was obtained in the 8-mm wavelength range using a two-beam Čerenkov oscillator. High-current pulse-periodic nanosecond accelerators with a charging device utilizing a Tesla transformer were used in the experiments. The possibility was demonstrated of generating high-power microwave radiation with a pulse-repetition frequency of up to 100 Hz. An average power of ∼500 W was achieved from the relativistic oscillators. A relativistic backward wave tube with a high-current electron beam was used to make a prototype nanosecond radar device. Some of the results presented were obtained jointly with the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Applied Physics. Questions concerning multiwave Čerenkov interaction are not considered in this paper. Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 5–20, December, 1996.     

Production of ultra-short high-power microwave pulses in Čerenkov backward-wave systems (Review)

The article presents a review of works (mainly, of experimental ones) on production of subgigawatt and gigawatt microwave pulses of extremely short duration (5–7 RF periods) using backward-wave systems fed with nanosecond and subnanosecond high-current electron beams produced by compact accelerators. Theoretical approaches to the generation process (which is essentially non-steady-state) are briefly summarized. Using the effect of spatial accumulation of energy in a short running microwave pulse allows production of pulses with peak power notably higher then the driving electron beam power. Compact microwave sources developed for operation in the Ka-band and X-band are described. Special attention is given to the issue of high pulse repetition frequency operation of the sources.     

On the formation of nanosecond volume discharges,subnanosecond runaway electron beams,and x-ray radiation in gases at elevated pressure

Properties of runaway electron beams and x-ray radiation in a nanosecond volume discharge in air at atmospheric pressure are investigated, and results of recent studies in this direction are analyzed. A physical nature of forming runaway electron beams and x-ray radiation in the nanosecond volume discharge is discussed. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 40–51, December, 2005.     

消色散270°偏转磁铁系统设计及束流动力学研究

对三种常用结构的270°偏转磁铁进行系统的分析研究,采用数值计算和模拟方法对双磁铁不对称偏转结构、三块90°磁铁偏转结构和70°+130°+70°偏转结构这三种不同的270°偏转磁铁系统进行模拟,给出偏转系统的消色散传输条件,并且分析了束流包络在偏转系统和出口管道中的变化情况。经过分析对比,详细列出了三种结构的优势与劣势。双磁铁不对称结构适用于医用加速器,三块90°磁铁偏转结构适用于需要在出口长距离漂移的辐照加速器,而70°+130°+70°偏转结构可以满足出口一定距离的无损漂移,同时实现相对较低的成本,是工业辐照加速器较为经济适宜的选择。     

Laser-driven electron beam and radiation sources for basic,medical and industrial sciences

To date active research on laser-driven plasma-based accelerators have achieved great progress on production of high-energy, high-quality electron and photon beams in a compact scale. Such laser plasma accelerators have been envisaged bringing a wide range of applications in basic, medical and industrial sciences. Here inheriting the groundbreaker’s review article on “Laser Acceleration and its future” [Toshiki Tajima, (2010)],¹⁾ we would like to review recent progress of producing such electron beams due to relativistic laser-plasma interactions followed by laser wakefield acceleration and lead to the scaling formulas that are useful to design laser plasma accelerators with controllability of beam energy and charge. Lastly specific examples of such laser-driven electron/photon beam sources are illustrated.     

First staging of two laser accelerators

Staging of two laser-driven, relativistic electron accelerators has been demonstrated for the first time in a proof-of-principle experiment, whereby two distinct and serial laser accelerators acted on an electron beam in a coherently cumulative manner. Output from a CO2 laser was split into two beams to drive two inverse free electron lasers (IFEL) separated by 2.3 m. The first IFEL served to bunch the electrons into approximately 3 fs microbunches, which were rephased with the laser wave in the second IFEL. This represents a crucial step towards the development of practical laser-driven electron accelerators.     

Properties of a metal-ceramic cathode

The characteristics of a metal-ceramic (MC) cathode designed for nanosecond electron accelerators are studied in relation to the size of metal particles, their density on the ceramic surface, and the type of ceramics. A high emissivity of the MC cathode at a moderate electric field in the diode tube is demonstrated. This allows one to significantly sharpen the electron beam and increase its current (power). The possibility of controlling the emissivity of the MC cathode by varying the composition of the MC plate is established.     

An overview of design for CSNS/RCS and beam transport

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is the first accelerator-based pulsed neutron source in China. Its accelerators are made up of an 80 MeV H⁻ linac, a Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) and two beam transport lines. RCS accumulates and accelerates protons to the design energy of 1.6 GeV, and extracts high energy beam to strike the target. The overview of RCS is presented, and the key problems of the physics design are discussed. The two beam transport lines, from linac to RCS and from RCS to the target, are also introduced.

     

The use of recombination chambers at radiation therapy facilities

The paper presents an overview of the applications of recombination chambers for dosimetric measurements at radiotherapy facilities. The chambers were used at electron, proton and heavy ion accelerators, in the beam and in the vicinity of the accelerators at very different dose rates. The examples of measurements discussed in the paper include: the determination of the absorbed dose and radiation quality parameters of a 170 MeV proton beam and BNCT (boron neutron capture therapy) beam, neutron dose measurements at a phantom surface outside the beam of a 15 MV electron medical accelerator, determination of ambient dose equivalent, H1 (10) outside the irradiated phantom in the proton therapy treatment room at JINR (Dubna, Russia), and at working places outside the shielding of the heavy ion therapy facility at GSI (Darmstadt, Germany).     

核物理与工农业发展

核物理应用主要包括核分析技术、同位素技术和离子束技术的应用,这些应用在工农业生产中发挥着巨大作用.离子束、电子束和同位素辐射源被广泛应用于辐照探伤、辐照加工、辐照消毒、辐照育种、辐照杀虫、辐照保藏等方面.核物理应用新技术将成为人类生活中重要的组成部分,正确认识核辐射并掌握基本的辐射防护知识具有重要意义.文章介绍了核物理在工业和农业中的应用及其社会效益和经济效益.     

螺线管透镜的三级李映射

用李代数方法分析了带电粒子在螺线管透镜中的运动,得到六维相空间中粒子轨迹的三级近似解,并包含了运动的相对论效应.当需要时,还可以扩展到更高级像差.     

Response of CaSO4:Dy phosphor based TLD badge system to high energy electron beams from medical linear accelerator and estimation of whole body dose and skin dose

Response of thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) badge based on CaSO₄:Dy phosphor to high energy electron beams from medical linear accelerators was simulated using FLUKA Monte Carlo code and experimentally verified. This study was carried out in order to determine the response of TL discs under different filter regions of the TLD badge and their ratios under different irradiation conditions in the energy range 6–20 MeV of high energy electron beams. It was found that the response of TL disc under metal filters of the TLD badge (D1) is always higher than the response of the TL discs under Polystyrene filter (D2) and open window (D3) and its response was found to decrease with increase in the energy of the electron beam. Estimation of whole body dose and skin dose including its error was carried out as an extension of the present study in case of accidental exposure of radiation worker to high energy electron beam.     

Parametric X-ray radiation as a beam size monitor

We propose two new approaches, referred to as the local and remote methods, for measuring electron beam sizes using parametric X-ray radiation. Using the local method, we have carried out a proof-of-principle experiment, and good agreement was obtained with the results of a standard method using a fluorescent screen. For the remote method, we have proposed a scheme to measure beam sizes using a Fresnel zone plate as an X-ray lens. These methods may prove useful for measuring the sizes of electron beams with small emittances or short bunch lengths in recent advanced accelerators.     

New Acceleration Principle of Charged Particles for Electronic Applications. Examples

The physical processes that can occur in EH-accelerators are analyzed and discussed. It is shown that on the basis of the cooling and acceleration effects of charged particle beams in crossed spatially-periodic transverse magnetic and vortex electric fields a number of technologically useful systems for electronic applications can be realized. The examples considered here are: high energy electron beam accelerators, relativistic quasineutral plasma beam sources, systems for simultaneous cooling and untwisting and formation and compression of charged particle beams, and isochronous EH-free electron lasers (EH-FELs). The theory of hierarchic oscillations and waves is used as a methodical basis of this analysis. The efficacy of practical application of the proposed earlier hierarchic algorithms is demonstrated in the process of discussions. Therein, a number of novel quantitative physical and applied results are obtained and studied.     

高性能强流脉冲电子束源关键技术研究

强流脉冲电子束源是高功率微波系统的核心部件之一,针对未来应用需求,亟需从绝缘、束流输运和热管理等多个方面提升强流束源技术性能。介绍了国防科技大学在高功率微波源用强流真空电子束源方面的研究进展。针对高功率微波管保真空需求,基于陶瓷金属钎焊,设计并研制了一种强场陶瓷真空界面,耐压大于600 kV、平均绝缘场强达到44 kV/cm、耐受脉宽大于80 ns,重复频率运行稳定;研制了一种基于SiC纳米线的强流电子束源冷阴极,在90 kV/cm的场条件下获得了1.17 kA/cm2的束流密度,相比传统天鹅绒阴极,SiC纳米线阴极的宏观电稳定性、发射均匀性及运行寿命均得到显著提高;针对相对论返波管,研制基于螺旋水槽型的强流电子束收集极,克服了高比能和低流速的矛盾,耐受热流密度达到1012 W/m2,能够满足系统长脉冲、高重复频率运行要求。     

On the initiation of detonation in high explosives by a high-current electron beam

A critical analysis of experimental work on the initiation of high explosives (HE), high-current electron beam of nanosecond duration. It is demonstrated that there is no unambiguous evidence for the initiation of detonation in HE by the electron beams described in the reviewed works. The results of experiments on the effects of a pulsed electron beam on model paraffin samples are presented, which show that the geometric parameters of the sample and the presence of copper oxide nanopowder in it influence its resistance to the action of the beam. It is shown that the main effect on the sample is produced by cathode plasma beam and that the selection of the sample geometry and introduction of nanopowders can enhance the action of a high-current electron beam.     

Terahertz radiation source using a high-power industrial electron linear accelerator

High-power (～ 100 kW) industrial electron linear accelerators (linacs) are used for irradiations, e.g., for pasteurization of food products, disinfection of medical waste, etc. We propose that high-power electron beam from such an industrial linac can first pass through an undulator to generate useful terahertz (THz) radiation, and the spent electron beam coming out of the undulator can still be used for the intended industrial applications. This will enhance the utilization of a high-power industrial linac. We have performed calculation of spontaneous emission in the undulator to show that for typical parameters, continuous terahertz radiation having power of the order of μW can be produced, which may be useful for many scientific applications such as multispectral imaging of biological samples, chemical samples etc.