RU2020131630A - VARIABLE ENERGY PROTON LINEAR ACCELERATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A PROTON BEAM SUITABLE FOR TISSUE IRRADIATION - Google Patents

Claims (35)

1. System (100) of a linear proton accelerator for tissue irradiation, comprising: a source (110) of protons for providing a beam (115) of protons during operation; a beam exit controller (120) for adjusting the current of the proton beam (115) exiting the source (110); the first accelerator block (130) having: the first input (135) for the proton beam to receive the beam (115) of protons; a first proton beam outlet (137) for outputting the proton beam (115); the first source (132) radio frequency energy for providing radio frequency energy during operation; at least one first resonator (131) extending from the first input (135) for the proton beam to the first output (137) for the proton beam, for receiving radio frequency energy from the first energy source (132) and for transmitting radio frequency energy to the beam (115) protons as it passes from the first beam inlet (135) to the first beam exit (137); moreover, system (100) also contains: an RF energy controller (180) connected to the first RF energy source (132) for adjusting the RF energy transmitted to at least one first resonator (131) and also connected to the beam output controller (120); moreover, the beam output controller (120) is configured to provide proton beam (115) pulses with a predetermined and/or controlled beam duty cycle (190); a the RF energy controller (180) is configured to provide radio frequency energy (132) during the inter-pulse interval of the proton beam duty cycle (190) such that the temperature of the first resonator (131) is increased or maintained. 2. The accelerator system (100) of claim 1, wherein the RF energy controller (180) is also configured to provide substantially the same RF energy (132) for each successive proton beam duty cycle (190). 3. The accelerator system (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the RF energy controller (180) is also configured to provide RF energy (132) both during the pulse interval and during the inter-pulse interval of the beam duty cycle (190). protons. 4. Accelerator system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, also comprising: second accelerator block (230) having: a second proton beam inlet (235) for receiving a proton beam (115) from the first accelerator unit (130); a second proton beam outlet (237) to output the proton beam (115); a second source (232) of radio frequency energy for providing radio frequency energy during operation; at least one second resonator (231) extending from the second input (235) for the proton beam to the second output (237) for the proton beam, for receiving radio frequency energy from the second energy source (232) and for transmitting radio frequency energy to the beam (115) protons as it passes from the second beam inlet (235) to the beam exit (237); moreover, the controller (180) RF energy is also connected to the second source (232) RF energy to adjust the RF energy supplied to at least one second resonator (231); and wherein the RF energy controller (180) is configured to provide radio frequency energy (232) during the inter-pulse interval of the proton beam duty cycle (190) such that the temperature of the second resonator (231) is increased or maintained. 5. The accelerator system (100) of claim 4, wherein the RF energy supplied to the first resonator (131) and the second resonator (231) is essentially the same. 6. An accelerator system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the RF energy controller (180) is configured to provide the desired and/or controlled energy by changing one or more of the following RF energy characteristics: RF amplitude, RF energy pulse interval, RF energy pulse-to-pulse interval, RF energy pulse shape, or any combination thereof. 7. An accelerator system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first accelerating unit (130) and/or the second accelerating unit (230) is one of the following types: coupled cavity linac (CCL), drift tube linac (DTL), split drift tube linac (SDTL), side cell linac (SCL), side coupled drift tube linac (SCDTL). 8. A method for controlling a proton beam (115) suitable for tissue irradiation, comprising: providing proton beam pulses (115) with a predetermined and/or controlled beam duty cycle (190) from a proton beam source (110); adjusting the current of the proton beam (115) leaving the source (110); supplying radio frequency energy from the first source (132) of radio frequency energy to at least one first resonator (131); transmitting RF energy to the beam (115) of protons as it passes through at least one resonator (131); and adjusting the RF energy supplied to at least one first resonator (131) to provide RF energy (132) during the proton beam duty cycle (190) such that the temperature of the first resonator (131) is increased or maintained. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RF energy is adjusted to provide substantially the same RF energy (132) for each successive proton beam duty cycle (190). 10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein the RF energy is adjusted to provide RF energy (132) both during the pulse interval and during the inter-pulse interval of the duty cycle (190) of the proton beam.