Applications of Technology:
- Improved radiotherapy dose delivery and control
- Materials analysis and characterization
- High-precision nuclear and particle physics experiments
Benefits:
- More precise tumor targeting, reduced unnecessary radiation exposure
- Minimal modifications to cyclotron systems
- Utilization of off-the-shelf high-voltage components
Background: Cyclotrons accelerate charged particles to high energies using electric fields, producing particle beams crucial for physics experiments and medical applications. Isolating high-current, single-bunch beams is particularly valuable, as it allows for precise particle analysis with minimal interference and accurate control for applications such as physics experimentation and radiation therapy. Typically, achieving such single-bunch extraction requires significant cyclotron modifications. Therefore, solutions that strategically manipulate existing cyclotron functions to accomplish this are of great interest and impact.
Technology Overview: Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a technique for reliably isolating single-bunch beams that requires minor modifications to existing hardware.
They have modified an 88-inch cyclotron in two key ways. One, they have adjusted the pre-chopper, limiting the number of ion bunches injected into the cyclotron and thus managing energy deposition. Two, they have modified the existing first deflector to act as a chopper for selecting a single bunch. The first deflector voltage is modulated using a fast high-voltage silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) switch to either oversteer and understeer the beam. The transition occurs as the single bunch crosses the deflector, which allows it to be extracted.
This precise control allows the use of high-voltage pulsers and switches without damaging the cyclotron’s components. This technique and its required modifications are highly accessible compared to existing techniques for single-bunch extraction, facilitating scalable and widespread research using well-defined particle beams. This is a key innovation for expanding research potential in nuclear and particle physics, as well as in radiotherapy.
Development Stage: TRL 8 – Actual system completed and qualified through test and demonstration.
Principal Investigators: Michel Kireeff Covo
Additional Information: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10721603.
IP Status: Patent pending.
Opportunities: Available for licensing or collaborative research.