Effect of imperfections of the radial component of a magnetic field on beam dynamics in medical cyclotron C235-V3

Abstract

This paper presents numerical simulations and experimental results related to the effect of imperfections of the radial component of a magnetic field on the beam dynamics in the medical cyclotron C235-V3 of the Dimitrovgrad Proton Therapy Center. These imperfections in the region of the minimal axial betatron frequency lead to a transformation of coherent motion of the center of gravity of the beam to the incoherent motion of separate particles. The radial component increases the axial size of the beam by a factor of 2 at a radius of 20 cm, which produces additional losses of protons. To reduce undesirable actions of the radial component on the axial motion, the magnetic system in the central region has been optimized using two procedures: the positioning of shim correctors on sectors and selecting a special asymmetric arrangement of the upper and lower central plugs. This led to a twofold reduction in the axial size of the beam and a decrease in proton losses. Eventually, the beam transmission in C235-V3 has been increased to 72% without a limiting aperture diaphragm, which is commonly used in cyclotrons of this type. This makes it possible to reduce the irradiation dose of machine elements and increase the beam current at a deflector entrance of the cyclotron C235-V3 by a factor of 1.5 when compared to a serial C235 cyclotron.