Abstract
Accurate knowledge of the beam energy distribution is crucial for particle accelerators, compact medical cyclotrons for the production of radioisotopes in particular. For this purpose, a compact instrument was developed, based on a multi-leaf Faraday cup made of thin aluminum foils interleaved with plastic absorbers. The protons stopping in the aluminum foils produce a measurable current that is used to determine the range distribution of the proton beam. On the basis of the proton range distribution, the beam energy distribution is assessed by means of stopping-power Monte Carlo simulations. In this paper, we report on the design, construction, and testing of this apparatus, as well as on the first measurements performed with the IBA Cyclone 18-MeV medical cyclotron in operation at the Bern University Hospital.
Highlights
IntroductionIn the case of medical cyclotrons for radioisotope production, the yield and the purity of the produced radioisotopes strongly depend on the cross-section of both the desired radioisotope and the possible impurities
Beam energy is a key parameter for all particle accelerators
For most of the research activities performed with the Beam Transport Line (BTL), the cyclotron is operated in the regime of non-optimal isochronism in order to obtain stable beam currents from the nA to the pA range [6]
Summary
In the case of medical cyclotrons for radioisotope production, the yield and the purity of the produced radioisotopes strongly depend on the cross-section of both the desired radioisotope and the possible impurities. This is crucial in the case of the bombardment of thin targets by means of solid target stations. 15–25 MeV and are characterized by a considerable potential for fundamental and applied research, especially if they are equipped with a beam transfer with independent access to the beam area [1] They are usually installed in hospitals, where space constraints severely limit this possibility. For all activities beyond the production of 18 F—the main radioisotope for Positron Emission Tomography (PET)—accurate knowledge of the beam energy distribution is often crucial
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