Sub-MeV ultra-compact linac for radioactive isotope sources replacement, non-destructive testing, security and medical applications

RadiaBeam Technologies, LLC has developed an inexpensive, hand-portable 180 keV electron accelerator to replace 57Co radionuclide sources in Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor detectors. We used two innovative technologies in our design: a Ku-band (1 cm wavelength) magnetron, and a split accelerating...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2019-09, Vol.459 (C)
Main Authors: Kutsaev, Sergey V., Agustsson, Ronald, Arodzero, Anatoli, Boucher, Salime, Murokh, Alex, Smirnov, A. Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
57Co
computed tomography
INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Ku-band
micro-linac
non-destructive testing
radioisotope replacement
safeguards
security inspection
split linac
uranium enrichment
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:RadiaBeam Technologies, LLC has developed an inexpensive, hand-portable 180 keV electron accelerator to replace 57Co radionuclide sources in Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor detectors. We used two innovative technologies in our design: a Ku-band (1 cm wavelength) magnetron, and a split accelerating structure design to reduce manufacturing costs. In this paper, we will discuss the accelerator, including X-ray convertor and accelerating structure design. The results of RF measurements of a Ku-band split structure prototype will also be reviewed. Other applications of Ku-band linacs include compact backscatter and transmission X-ray security inspection systems, as well as computed tomography (CT) systems for luggage and parcel screening. The main requirement for luggage inspection systems is that the X-ray source must be extremely compact. Further, the required energies should cover the range from 180 keV to 1 MeV. In this paper, we will discuss the linac’s energy scalability and other modifications that will enable our technology to address these applications.
ISSN:0168-583X
1872-9584