Design of 10 MeV electron linear accelerator for space environment simulation

A compact 10 MeV S-band irradiation electron linear accelerator(linac)was developed to simulate electronic radiation in outer space and perform electron irradiation effect tests on spacecraft materials and devices.According to the requirements of space environment simulation,the electron beam energy can be adjusted in the range from 3.5 to 10 MeV,and the average current can be adjusted in the range from 0.1 to 1 mA.The linac should be capable of providing beam irradiation over a large area of 1 m^(2) with a uniformity greater than 90% and a scanning rate of 100 Hz.A novel method was applied to achieve such a high beam scanning rate by combining a kicker and a scanning magnet.Based on this requirement,a design for the10 MeV linac is proposed with an RF power pulse repetition rate of 500 Hz;it includes a thermal cathode electron gun,a bunching-accelerating section,and a scanning transport line.The detailed physical design and dynamic simulation results of the proposed 10 MeV electron linac are presented in this paper.

Enhancing Precision in Radiotherapy Delivery: Validating Monte Carlo Simulation Models for 6 MV Elekta Synergy Agility LINAC Photon Beam Using Two Models of the GAMOS Code

The most crucial requirement in radiation therapy treatment planning is a fast and accurate treatment planning system that minimizes damage to healthy tissues surrounding cancer cells. The use of Monte Carlo toolkits has become indispensable for research aimed at precisely determining the dose in radiotherapy. Among the numerous algorithms developed in recent years, the GAMOS code, which utilizes the Geant4 toolkit for Monte Carlo simula-tions, incorporates various electromagnetic physics models and multiple scattering models for simulating particle interactions with matter. This makes it a valuable tool for dose calculations in medical applications and throughout the patient’s volume. The aim of this present work aims to vali-date the GAMOS code for the simulation of a 6 MV photon-beam output from the Elekta Synergy Agility linear accelerator. The simulation involves mod-eling the major components of the accelerator head and the interactions of the radiation beam with a homogeneous water phantom and particle information was collected following the modeling of the phase space. This space was po-sitioned under the X and Y jaws, utilizing three electromagnetic physics mod-els of the GAMOS code: Standard, Penelope, and Low-Energy, along with three multiple scattering models: Goudsmit-Saunderson, Urban, and Wentzel-VI. The obtained phase space file was used as a particle source to simulate dose distributions (depth-dose and dose profile) for field sizes of 5 × 5 cm2 and 10 × 10 cm2 at depths of 10 cm and 20 cm in a water phantom, with a source-surface distance (SSD) of 90 cm from the target. We compared the three electromagnetic physics models and the three multiple scattering mod-els of the GAMOS code to experimental results. Validation of our results was performed using the gamma index, with an acceptability criterion of 3% for the dose difference (DD) and 3 mm for the distance-to-agreement (DTA). We achieved agreements of 94% and 96%, respectively, between simulation and experimentation for the three electromagnetic physics models and three mul-tiple scattering models, for field sizes of 5 × 5 cm2 and 10 × 10 cm2 for depth-dose curves. For dose profile curves, a good agreement of 100% was found between simulation and experimentation for the three electromagnetic physics models, as well as for the three multiple scattering models for a field size of 5 × 5 cm2 at 10 cm and 20 cm depths. For a field size of 10 × 10 cm2, the Penelope model dominated with 98% for 10 cm, along with the three multiple scattering models. The Penelope model and the Standard model, along with the three multiple scattering models, dominated with 100% for 20 cm. Our study, which compared these different GAMOS code models, can be crucial for enhancing the accuracy and quality of radiotherapy, contributing to more effective patient treatment. Our research compares various electro-magnetic physics models and multiple scattering models with experimental measurements, enabling us to choose the models that produce the most reli-able results, thereby directly impacting the quality of simulations. This en-hances confidence in using these models for treatment planning. Our re-search consistently contributes to the progress of Monte Carlo simulation techniques in radiation therapy, enriching the scientific literature.

基于LINAC慢正电子源的EGS4模拟

介绍基于BEPCLINAC和BFELLINAC（北京正负电子对撞机和北京自由电子激光装置电子直线加速器）慢正电子束设备中正电子源部分的Monte－Carlo模拟过程。结果表明，从Ta靶出射的快正电子产额在BEPCLINAC和BFELMNAC运行于兼容模式时分别为184×1010/s和3．9×1011/s。若慢化体慢化效率在10-4量级，基于BEPCLINAC和BFELLINAC慢正电子束的慢正电子产额分别为106－107/s和107－108/s。

上海深紫外自由电子激光装置从头至尾模拟计算研究

介绍利用从头到尾模拟计算方式研究上海深紫外自由电子激光装置设计参数的结果.首先简要介绍了利用S2E方法得到的linac输出束流的品质参数,特别是在波荡器入口处的slice束流参数.然后给出88 nm SASE FEL与88 nm HGHG FEL两种工作模式下的模拟结果.结果指出现有设计可以获得满意的输出,但是加速场的非线性分量对FEL输出特性有较大影响.

脉冲调制器机柜屏蔽效能分析测试

高功率脉冲调制器是电子直线加速器(LINAC)的功率源,脉冲调制器在运行中会产生很强的电磁干扰。为了满足上海光源LINAC的高精度要求,脉冲调制器必须尽量抑制这些电磁干扰。本文介绍对上海光源150MeV高性能LINAC调制器的电磁辐射抑制的分析研究和测试。分析了电磁辐射的泄漏途径,对调制器机柜的屏蔽效能进行了定性、定量分析,并进行了测试。验证了调制器机柜的EMC设计制作对电磁干扰抑制的有效性。

Proton linac-based therapy facility for ultra-high dose rate (FLASH) treatment

As an advanced treatment method in the past five years,ultra-high dose rate(FLASH)radiotherapy as a breakthrough and milestone in radiotherapy development has been verified to be much less harmful to healthy tissues in different experiments.FLASH treatments require an instantaneous dose rate as high as hundreds of grays per second to complete the treatment in less than 100 ms.Current proton therapy facilities with the spread-out of the Bragg peak formed by different energy layers,to our knowledge,cannot easily achieve an adequate dose rate for FLASH treatments because the energy layer switch or gantry rotation of current facilities requires a few seconds,which is relatively long.A new design for a therapy facility based on a proton linear accelerator(linac)for FLASH treatment is proposed herein.It is designed under two criteria:no mechanical motion and no magnetic field variation.The new therapy facility can achieve an ultrahigh dose rate of up to 300 Gy/s;however,it delivers an instantaneous dose of 30 Gy within 100 ms to complete a typical FLASH treatment.The design includes a compact proton linac with permanent magnets,a fast beam kicker in both azimuth and elevation angles,a fixed gantry with a static superconducting coil to steer proton bunches with all energy,a fast beam scanner using radio-frequency(RF)deflectors,and a fast low-level RF system.All relevant principles and conceptual proposals are presented herein.

Strip line beam position monitor for HLS LINAC

The parameters of beam transverse positions at HLS 200 MeV LINAC are very important to injection ef-ficiency. We have designed a new non-interceptive strip line beam position monitor (BPM) as a substitution for the original interceptive fluorescent target. This paper gives out the theoretical analysis and bench test result of the strip line BPM. The BPM has a characteristic impedance of (50±5)?, a reflection coefficient of less than –4 dB, a band-width of 400 MHz, a coupling coefficient of less than -15 dB, and a sensitivity of 1.16 dB/mm. Additionally, the strip line BPM has a good linearity.

Visual Analysis of the Daily QA Results of Photon and Electron Beams of a Trilogy Linac over a Five-Year Period

Data visualization technique was applied to analyze the daily QA results of photon and electron beams. Special attention was paid to any trend the beams might display. A Varian Trilogy Linac equipped with dual photon energies and five electron energies was commissioned in early 2010. Daily Linac QA tests including the output constancy, beam flatness and symmetry (radial and transverse directions) were performed with an ionization chamber array device (QA Beam Checker Plus, Standard Imaging). The data of five years were collected and analyzed. For each energy, the measured data were exported and processed for visual trending using an in-house Matlab program. These daily data were cross-correlated with the monthly QA and annual QA results, as well as the preventive maintenance records. Majority of the output were within 1% of variation, with a consistent positive/upward drift for all seven energies (^+0.25% per month). The baseline of daily device is reset annually right after the TG-51 calibration. This results in a sudden drop of the output. On the other hand, the large amount of data using the same baseline exhibits a sinusoidal behavior (period = 12 months;amplitude = 0.8%, 0.5% for photons, electrons, respectively) on symmetry and flatness when normalization of baselines is accounted for. The well known phenomenon of new Linac output drift was clearly displayed. This output drift was a result of the air leakage of the over-pressurized sealed monitor chambers for the specific vendor. Data visualization is a new trend in the era of big data in radiation oncology research. It allows the data to be displayed visually and therefore more intuitive. Based on the visual display from the past, the physicist might predict the trend of the Linac and take actions proactively. It also makes comparisons, alerts failures, and potentially identifies causalities.

Beam dynamics,RF measurement,and commissioning of a CW heavy ion IH-DTL

A 53.667 MHz CW(continuous-wave) heavy ion IH-DTL has been designed for the SSC-LINAC injector of HIRFL-CSR(Heavy Ions Research Facility at Lanzhou-Cooling Storage Ring). It accelerates ions with maximum mass-to-charge ratio of 7.0 from 143 to 295 ke V/u. Low-power RF measurement of the IH-DTL1 has been taken to investigate the RF performance and the quality of the electric field distribution on the beam axis.The measured Q_0 value and the shunt impedance are 10,400 and 198 MX/m, respectively. The electric field distributions on and around the beam axis were evaluated and compared with the design value. By a new approach,the dipole field component is also estimated. The beam dynamics simulation using measured field distribution was presented in this paper. Based on the dynamics analysis in both transverse and longitudinal phase space, the field distribution can meet the design requirement. Finally, the RF conditioning and very first beam commissioning on the IH-DTL1 were finished. The beam test results agree well with the simulation results; what's more, the property of the variable output beam energy about the separated functions DTL was verified.

Optimization of the S-band side-coupled cavities for proton acceleration

The proton beam with energy around 100 MeV has seen wide applications in modern scientific research and in various fields.However,proton sources in China fall short for meeting experimental needs owing to the vast size and expensive traditional proton accelerators.The Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology of Sichuan University proposed to build a 3 GHz side-coupled cavity linac(SCL)for re-accelerating a 26 MeV proton beam extracted from a CS-30 cyclotron to 120 MeV.We carried out investigations into several vital factors of S-band SCL for proton acceleration,such as optimization of SCL cavity geometry,end cell tuning,and bridge coupler design.Results demonstrated that the effective shunt impedance per unit length ranged from 22.5 to 59.8 MX/m throughout the acceleration process,and the acceleration gradient changed from 11.5 to 15.7 MV/m when the maximum surface electric field was equivalent to Kilpatrick electric field.We obtained equivalent circuit parameters of the biperiodic structures and applied them to the end cell tuning;results of the theoretical analysis agreed well with the 3D simulation.We designed and optimized a bridge coupler based on the previously obtained biperiodic structure parameters,and the field distribution un-uniformness was\1.5%for a two-tank module.The radio frequency power distribution system of the linac was obtained based on the preliminary beam dynamics design.

RF design and study of a 325 MHz 7 Me V APF IH-DTL for an injector of a proton medical accelerator

A compact interdigital H-mode drift-tube linac (IH-DTL) with the alternating-phase-focusing (APF) method, working at 325 MHz was designed for an injector of a proton medical accelerator. When fed in with a proper RF (radio frequency) power, the DTL cavity could establish the corresponding electromagnetic field to accelerate the ‘‘proton bunches’’ from an input energy of 3 MeV to an output energy of 7 MeV successfully, without any additional radial focusing elements. The gap-voltage distribution which was obtained from the CST■ Microwave Studio software simulations of the axial electric field was compared with that from the beam dynamics, and the errors met the requirements within ± 5%. In this paper, the RF design procedure and key results of the APF IH-DTL, which include the main RF characteristics of the cavity, frequency sensitivities of the tuners, and coupling factor of the RF power input coupler are presented.

Design optimization of 3.9GHz fundamental power coupler for the SHINE project

The third harmonic superconducting cryomodule is being designed for the Shanghai High repetition rate XFEL and Extreme light facility(SHINE)project,which is under construction.In contrast to the European X-ray Free Electron Laser(E-XFEL)project,the 3.9 GHz cryomodules in the SHINE project will operate in the continuous wave regime with higher radio frequency average power for both cavities and couplers.We propose a 3.9 GHz fundamental power coupler with an adjustable antenna length,for satisfying the SHINE project requirements.Here,we describe the 3.9 GHz fundamental power coupler's design considerations and power requirements for various operating modes of the SHINE Linac.We also present the results of the radio frequency simulation and optimization,including the studies on multipacting and thermal analysis of the proposed 3.9 GHz coupler.

Analytic RF design of a linear accelerator with a SLED-Ⅰ type RF pulse compressor

This study presents the RF design of a linear accelerator(linac)operated in single-bunch mode.The accelerator is powered by a compressed RF pulse produced from a SLED-I type RF pulse compressor.The compressed RF pulse has an unflattened shape with a gradient distribution which varies over the structure cells.An analytical study to optimize the accelerating structure together with the RF pulse compressor is performed.The optimization aims to maximize the efficiency by minimizing the required RF power from the generator for a given average accelerating gradient.The study shows that,owing to the compressed RF pulse shape,the constant-impedance structure has a similar efficiency to the optimal structure using varying iris apertures.The constant-impedance structure is easily fabricated and is favorable for the design of a linac with a pulse compressor.We utilize these findings to optimize the RF design of a X-band linac using the constant-impedance accelerating structure for the Tsinghua Thomson X-ray source facility.

Fabrication and cold test of prototype of spatially periodic radio frequency quadrupole focusing linac

A 325 MHz aluminum prototype of a spatially periodic RF quadrupole focusing linac was developed at the Institute of Modern Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,as a promising candidate for the front end of a high-current linac.It consists of an alternating series of crossbar H-type drift tubes and RF quadrupole sections.Owing to its special geometry,cavity fabrication is a major hurdle for its engineering development and application.In this paper,we report the detailed mechanical design of this structure and describe its fabrication process,including machining,assembly,and inspection.The field distribution was measured by the bead-pull technique.The results show that the field errors of both the accelerating and focusing fields are within an acceptable range.A tuning scheme for this new structure is proposed and verified.The cold test process and results are presented in detail.The development of this prototype provides valuable guidance for the application of the spatially periodic RF quadrupole structure.

Commissioning experiences with the spoke-based CW superconducting proton linac

The 10-MeV Accelerator-Driven Subcritical(ADS)system Injector-I test stand at the Institute of High Energy Physics(IHEP)is a testing facility dedicated to demonstrating the feasibility of the spoke-based super-conducting(SC)linear accelerator(linac)for the ADS project in China.The injector adopted a four-vane copper structure radio frequency quadrupole(RFQ)with an output energy of 3.2 MeV and an SC section accommodating 14 β_(g)=0.12 single spoke cavities,14 SC solenoids,and 14 cold beam position monitors(BPMs).A 10-MeV pulsed beam with a beam current of 10 mA and a 2-mA continuous wave(CW)beam were successfully shooting through.The commissioning results confirmed the feasibility of using a 325-MHz spoke-type cavity for accelerating the proton beam in the low β and medium β sections.This paper describes the results achieved,the difficulties encountered,and the experiences obtained during commissioning.

The Measurement Accuracy of Ball Bearing Center in Portal Images Using an Intensity-Weighted Centroid Method

Medical linac based imaging modalities such as portal imaging can be utilized for highly accurate measurements. An intensity-weighted centroid method for determining object center is proposed that can detect the position of small object at subpixel accuracy. The principles and algorithms of the intensity-weighted centroid method are presented. Analytical results are derived for positional accuracy of a rod and a sphere in digital images, and the theoretical accuracy limits are calculated. The method was experimentally examined using phantoms with embedded ball bearings (BBs). Images of the phantoms were taken by the MV portal imager of a medical linac. The image pixel size was 0.26 mm when projected at the linac isocenter plane. The BB coordinates were calculated by applying the intensity-weighted centroid method after removing the background. The reproducibility of BB position detection was measured with 3 monitor unit (MU) exposures at various dose rates. A stationary BB, of 0.25 image contrast, showed position reproducibility in the range of 0.004 - 0.013 mm. When the method was used to measure the displacement of a moving BB, the difference between the measured and expected BB position had a standard deviation of 0.006 mm. The effect of image noise on the BB detection accuracy was measured using a phantom with multiple BBs. The overall detection accuracy, represented by standard deviation, steadily improved from 0.13 mm at 0.03 MU to 0.008 mm at 5.0 MU, and showed an inverse correlation with contrast-to-noise ratio. We demonstrated that intensity-weighted centroid method can achieve subpixel accuracy in position detection. With a linac based imaging system, precise mechanical measurement with accuracy of microns could be achieved.

What Do We Mean When We Talk about the Linac Isocenter?

Purpose: The isocenter of a medical linac system is a frequently used concept in clinical practice. However, so far not all the isocenters are rigorously defined. This work is intended as an attempt of deriving consistent and operable isocenter definitions. Methods: The isocenter definition is based on a fundamental concept, the axis of rotation of a rigid body. The axis of rotation is determined using the trajectory of any point on a plane that intersects the rigid body. A point on the axis of rotation is found through the minimal bounding sphere of the trajectory when the rigid body makes a full rotation. The essential mathematical tool of the isocenter definition system is three-dimensional coordinate transformation. Results: The axes of rotation of the linac collimator, gantry, and couch are established first. The linac mechanical isocenter (linac isocenter) is defined as the center of a circle that best fits the trajectory of a select linac X-ray source position. The axis of rotation and the minimal bounding sphere are cornerstones for the rotation isocenters of the collimator, gantry and couch. The definition of radiation isocenter incorporates a surrogate of the useful beam axis. Conclusions: A framework of isocenter definitions for medical linacs is presented in this manuscript. Consistent meanings of the mechanical and radiation isocenters can be achieved using this approach.

A Sensitivity Dosimetry Study of the Setup Uncertainties during Machine Commissioning and Annual QA

This study is to investigate three common potential setup uncertainties during Linac commissioning and annual QA and to evaluate how these uncertainties propagate into the quality of beam profiles and patient dosimetry using gamma analysis. Three uncertainty scenarios were purposely introduced for gantry position tilted from 0˚- 3˚(scenario 1), isocenter position misaligned from 0 - 6 mm (scenario 2) and SAD changed from 99.5 - 103 cm (scenario 3). A 60 × 60 × 60 cm3 water phantom cube was created to replicate a 3D water tank in VarianEclipse (V.11) treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). For each scenario, beam data profiles (crossline and diagonal) and PDD curves were calculated at different field sizes and depths for three energies: 6 MV, 6 MV-FFF and 10 MV-FFF. Gamma analysis method was used to compare a total of 263 profiles to baseline using a 1%/1mm parameter with 90% gamma passing rate criteria. For scenario 1, a ≥90% gamma passing rate and ≤1% dose difference were seen on both crossline and diagonal profiles, and PDD curves for gantry tilted up to 2˚. For 3˚degree tilt, the gamma passing rate decreased to ≤90% at depth of ≥20 cm for 6MV/6MV-FFF and depth of ≥12 cm for 10MV-FFF. For scenario 2, a ≤90% gamma passing rate and ≥1% dose difference were seen at depths from dmax to 20 cm for all energies. For depths ≥20 cm, mostly ≥90% gamma passing rate and ≤1% dose difference were seen. For scenario 3, a ≥90% gamma passing rate and ≤1% dose difference were seen on ≤4 mm isocenter misalignments for all energies. In summary, gamma analysis of the beam profiles is a very sensitive test for SAD deviation scenarios and can reveal issues of sub millimeter setup uncertainty. However, it is not as sensitive for isocenter misalignment scenarios. The test is also more sensitive for FFF beams than flattening filter beams.

Electron Beam Guns for High Energy Electron Accelerators: An Overview

Thermionic electron beam is a fundamental part of all types of linear accelerators around the world in the field of Experimental High Energy Physics. Thermionic beam is very inexpensive and simple to produce. In this work, we give an overview of generation, design and applications of the electron beam with particular reference to e-beam generation at high energy linear accelerators. Experimental data are presented in tabular form for ready reference. We also make an evaluation of these high energy sources with our in-house designed e-beam gun. Finally, a comparison has been presented in terms of characteristic parameters of all these high performance sources.

E-Linac加速管数字化设计系统

E-Linac加速管数字化设计系统通过将加速管的设计流程进行合理的模块划分,充分利用已有的加速管辅助设计软件SuperFish和Parmela,将设计流程中许多重复性的计算工作交由系统来完成,从而大大降低了设计人员的设计负担。文中介绍了E-Linac加速管数字化设计系统的结构和功能,并详细论述了该系统的实现方式。