Well-focused Beam Research Articles

Calibration assessment of the PSI proton therapy Gantry 2 scanning system after 10 years of operation

Sub-millimetre precision is a crucial criterion for beam delivery in Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) proton therapy. Nowadays, most of the therapy systems use PBS technique where single beams with a regulated number of protons are delivered sequentially to different locations within the target. Beam energy defines the depth of the beam in the target and scanner magnets deflect the beam to the desired lateral position.The PSI Gantry 2 was among the first gantries to use the PBS technique. Available clinical proton beam energies ranging from 70 MeV to 230 MeV are achieved by de-grading a 250 MeV beam, initially provided by a super-conducting cyclotron. Beam scanning is performed just before the last bending magnet producing a nearly parallel beam at iso-centre with a well-focused beam over the full scan area of 20×12 cm2. We developed a calibration algorithm for the scanner magnets in order to achieve the desirable precision of the beam in the target. Measuring the beam position with a strip ion chamber in the gantry nozzle, we parametrized the propagation of the beam to the target calculating the beam angle at different scan positions as well as all gantry angles. During 10 years of operation we performed regular Quality Assurance (QA) tests to validate parameters obtained during the system commissioning. The QA data proved a stable system operation and no parametrization update was required so far. In this contribution, we describe the calibration pro-cess of scanning magnets with respect to beam position at the isocentre and show the stability of this implementation over the time.

Beam optics simulation of the ion injector for sodium Beam Emission Spectroscopy (Na-BES) on EAST

To upgrade the Li-BES to Na-BES on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), a high-brightness and stable sodium (Na) ion source is developed, and the performance of Na ion beam optics is simulated by the COMSOL Multiphysics. The porous tungsten disk with 70% porosity and filled with albite Na2O·Al2O3·6SiO2 is successfully developed as the Na ion source. The extracted current density of the Na-beam increases with the extraction voltage, and its maximum current can reach 9 mA with the ion source diameter of 20 mm. The lifetime of the Na ion source is evaluated to be 63 mAh, which is much longer than that of the Li ion source. The simulation shows that the preferable distances among the ion source (or anode electrode), extractor and puller to get the well-focused beam are x puller - x extractor ∼ 0.06 m and x extractor - x ion source ∼ 0.02 m. Further simulation with these optimized distances determines the extraction voltage and ion source size for good beam performance. In addition, the simulation shows the beam divergence angle decreases by more than 40% by optimizing the Einzel voltage to 5 kV, suggesting an excellent focusing property of the Einzel lens. These works provide the basis and the design references for the Na-BES development on EAST.

Performance of the OEDO beamline

The OEDO (Optimized Energy Degrading Optics for RI beam) beamline has been developed to obtain low-energy (10 – 50 MeV/u) RI beams by slowing down the secondary beams at RIBF, RIKEN. Such beams are useful probes to investigate nuclear structure by means of nucleon transfer and Coulomb excitation reactions. The beamline is designed to produce a well-focused beam of small energy spread with the help of the angle-tuneable wedge degrader and the radio-frequency deflector. The commissioning and first physics experiments using the OEDO beamline were carried out in 2017. OEDO successfully provided the energy-degraded beams of Se, Zr, and Pd. Its performance including the optics and transmission was evaluated using those experimental data and it functions properly as designed. We expect that our novel beamline shed a light on the experimental approaches involving nuclear reactions at several tens of MeV/u to expand our knowledge of nuclei far beyond the line of stability.

Extending a set of well-focused beams described by gamma and gamma-coupled functions.

A set of rotationally symmetric, paraxial gamma and gamma-coupled beams [introduced in Appl. Opt.57, 3653 (2018)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.57.003653] is extended with other well-focused higher-order beams described by the gamma and gamma-coupled functions with extra free parameters. A computer simulation of the propagation characteristics of some new parametrically optimized higher-order beams with a sharp central peak demonstrates that, in relation to the previous gamma and gamma-coupled beams, most of the new beams have elevated levels of sidelobes in the waist plane. At the same time, the new beams have far more propagation stability over an extended depth of field. In relation to similar Bessel-Gauss beams, these beams have a much better spatial localization of their energy.

Probing phase of a scattering amplitude beyond the plane-wave approximation

Within a plane-wave approach, a number of scattering events in a collision is insensitive to a general phase of a transition amplitude, although this phase is extremely important for a number of problems, especially in hadronic physics. In reality the particles are better described as wave packets, and here we show that the observables grow dependent upon this phase if one lays aside the simplified plane-wave model. We discuss two methods for probing how the Coulomb- and hadronic phases change with the transferred momentum t, either by colliding two beams at a non-vanishing impact-parameter or by employing such novel states as the vortex particles carrying orbital angular momentum or the Airy beams. For electron-electron collision, the phase contribution to the cross-section can reach values higher than 10−4–10−3 for well-focused beams with energies of hundreds of keV.

Trapping of nanoparticles in a liquid by laser-induced microbubbles

Nanoparticles a few nanometers in diameter contained in a colloidal solution can be captured by the surface of a microbubble produced by a well-focused beam of a continuous wave visible laser. The concentration of the nanoparticles on the surface of the microbubble is found to gradually increase during the course of irradiation. The mechanism of such a trapping is associated with the laser-induced Marangoni convection developing in the vicinity of the microbubble as a result of the temperature gradient obtained at its surface.

Adaptive array technique for differential-phase reflectometry in QUEST.

A Phased Array Antenna (PAA) was considered as launching and receiving antennae in reflectometry to attain good directivity in its applied microwave range. A well-focused beam was obtained in a launching antenna application, and differential-phase evolution was properly measured by using a metal reflector plate in the proof-of-principle experiment at low power test facilities. Differential-phase evolution was also evaluated by using the PAA in the Q-shu University Experiment with Steady State Spherical Tokamak (QUEST). A beam-forming technique was applied in receiving phased-array antenna measurements. In the QUEST device that should be considered as a large oversized cavity, standing wave effect was significantly observed with perturbed phase evolution. A new approach using derivative of measured field on propagating wavenumber was proposed to eliminate the standing wave effect.

Design of a correlation electron cyclotron emission diagnostic for Alcator C-Mod

A correlation electron cyclotron emission (CECE) diagnostic has been installed in Alcator C-Mod. In order to measure electron temperature fluctuations, this diagnostic uses a spectral decorrelation technique. Constraints obtained with nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations guided the design of the optical system and receiver. The CECE diagnostic is designed to measure temperature fluctuations which have k(θ) ≤ 4.8 cm(-1) (k(θ)ρ(s) < 0.5) using a well-focused beam pattern. Because the CECE diagnostic is a dedicated turbulence diagnostic, the optical system is also flexible, which allows for various collimating lenses and antenna to be used. The system overview and the demonstration of its operability as designed are presented in this paper.

Waveform interpolation for applications of time-reversal acoustics.

Acoustic waves can force fluids and small objects along the direction of sound propagation (streaming). Potential applications include forcing the flow of fluid and small particles for drug delivery into the brain, or of underground fluids, such as oil, toward a borehole collection point. Well-focused beams are needed for amplitudes to be large enough to be effective. Time-reversal acoustics (TRA) permits focusing of sound in heterogeneous media, but requires a sensor near a point of desired focus. There is a need, addressed in this talk, to send signals off the grid of available sensors so that forces may be delivered in regions between receivers, and no receiver need be at a point where focus is desired. The Acoustic Shepherd introduces interpolation or data matching of TRA-derived Green functions for this purpose. One particular scheme of geometric-mean interpolation is analyzed, and the curve along which the focus moves from one receiver to another as the interpolating weights are varied is shown. General approximation methods from statistical estimation theory are also described. These methods are expected to work better in heterogeneous media (having unknown acoustic properties) than well-known beam forming methods designed for homogeneous media.

Lateral displacement of a Gaussian beam reflected from absorbing media

Lateral displacements of well-focused beams reflected from absorbing media are demonstrated in this paper. The incident beam is modeled as a tapered wave with a Gaussian spectrum. The field solutions are obtained on both sides of the interface by solving analytically from Maxwell's equations and by matching the boundary conditions at the interface. Numerical simulations are presented and the field values as well as the time-averaged power densities are computed. The influences of the polarization, the angle of incidence and the beam width on the displacement are discussed. The origin of the displacement lies in the absorption of the media, for which there is a phase shift between the incident and reflected waves. Because of this phase shift, the center of the reflected beam does not coincide with that of the incident one, similar to the Goos–Hänchen shift.

Design of an elliptically bent refocus mirror for the MERLIN beamline at the advanced light source

There is an increasing demand for well-focused beam with high quality imaging of the full field to further explore the potential of novel instruments. For beamlines operating at focal point, mechanical benders have often been used to shape the refocusing mirror into an ideal elliptical cylinder. Unfortunately, the limited number of couplings for these mechanisms requires specific substrate side-shaping, often calculated using beam bending theory [J.H. Underwood, Space Sci. Instrum. 3 (1977) 259; M. Howells et al., Opt. Eng. 39 (2000) 2748; T. Warwick et al., Document available at OSTI website: http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/servlets/purl/842557-JYZCS3/native/], to meet demanding figure requirements. Here, we use finite element analysis (FEA) to validate the side-shaping algorithm and then couple the output with SHADOW to evaluate mirror performance when an ideal ellipse is not achieved.

Noninvasive, transcranial and localized opening of the blood-brain barrier using focused ultrasound in mice

The feasibility of blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening in the hippocampus of wild-type mice using focused ultrasound (FUS) through the intact skull and skin was investigated. Needle hydrophone measurements through ex vivo skulls revealed minimal attenuation (∼18% of the pressure amplitude), a well-focused beam pattern and minute focus displacement through the parietal bone. In experiments in vivo, the brains of three mice were sonicated transcranially. Pulsed ultrasound sonications at 1.5 MHz and acoustic pressures ranging from 0.8 to 2.7 MPa were used at 20% duty cycle. Before sonication, a bolus of 10 μL of an ultrasound contrast agents (Optison) was injected intravenously. Contrast-enhanced high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (9.4 T) revealed BBB opening and allowed for the monitoring of the slow permeation of gadolinium in the hippocampus. The region of the brain where BBB opening occurred increased with the pressure amplitude. These findings thus demonstrated the feasibility of locally opening the BBB in mice using FUS through intact skull and skin and serve as the first step in determining and assessing feasibility of drug delivery to specific regions in the mouse brain using FUS. (E-mail: ek2191@columbia.edu)

Design of a quasi-optical mode converter for a frequency step-tunable gyrotron

The quasi-optical mode converter for a frequency step-tunable gyrotron which consists of a dimpled-wall antenna (Denisov-type launcher) and a beam-forming mirror system has been optimized for 9 modes from TE17,6 at 105 GHz to TE23,8 at 143 GHz. The first mirror is a large quasi-elliptical focusing one; the second and third are phase-correcting mirrors with a non-quadratic shape of the surface. The results of calculations show that for these modes the Denisov-type launcher has a well-focused beam with low diffraction losses, and the radiation pattern presents an almost identical field shape for all modes considered. A multi-mode optimization of the phase-correcting mirrors with two different methods has been tested. The simulations show that the phase-correcting mirrors can be used for broadband operation in the frequency range from 105 GHz up to 143 GHz in the various design modes. This quasi-optical mode converter can achieve efficiencies of 94%-98% for converting the rotating high-order cylindrical cavity modes into the usable fundamental Gaussian mode.

粉末粒子の静電加速による特殊加工法の研究（第６報） 帯電粉末粒子ビームの静電レンズによる集束

In order to realize a new method of powder particle beam machining, a fundamental approach to obtain a dense beam of powder particles was made with an Einzel lens designed from electron optical theories. The mechanism of forming well-focused beam is theoretically analyzed by a graphical method based on the electron optics, so that each of the particle trajectory and density distribution is represented as a function of the optical values and dimension of the lens. The validity of the theoretical analysis was proved by comparing the calculated density distribution with the measured beam spot on target material. Furthermore it became clear that the off-axis trajectories affected by spherical aberration remarkably contribute to the beam-spot formation and that the average beam density in the focused spot can be increased by about thirty times that of non-focused beam.

Autoneutralizing anions as a neutral beam probe for the analysis of insulating materials

A well-focused beam of fast (2.5–25 keV) sulfur hexafluoride neutral molecules has been developed based upon the autoneutralizing sulfur hexafluoride gas-phase anion. This molecular beam has been used to sputter gas-phase ions from dry solids with excellent results from a wide range of materials that include plastics and pharmaceuticals. Most pharmaceuticals have yielded predominantly protonated parent ions, with fragments typical of the molecular structure. Detection limits for these pharmaceuticals are around 1 ng.

Focusing Procedures for Electrostatic Accelerators

Ion optics for Van de Graaff accelerators are reviewed in elementary terms of geometric optics with particular reference to the Oak Ridge 3-Mv accelerator. This machine produces well-focused beams of over 100 μa and pulsed peak currents of several hundred μa. The beam diameter measured at a distance of 2.7 tube lengths from the accelerator tube exit decreases from 0.26 in. at 0.38 Mv to 0.10 in. at 2.47 Mv. The beam divergence at 1.8 tube lengths from the exit is nearly constant, ≃2.8×10−3 rad. The system is analyzed in terms of five separate lenses: (1) einzel lens, (2) gap lens, (3) accelerator tube, (4) 90-degree analyzing magnet, and (5) strong-focusing lens. It is shown that the crossovers formed in the gap lens and near the exit of the analyzing magnet are of fundamental importance. Brief reference is made to the small energy spread, ≃0.025%, for the beams obtained from this accelerator in spite of the large control slit spacing demanded by a large crossover.