IP Library Granted Patent US 11,717,584
Granted Patent B2
US 11,717,584 · App. 17/681,668 · Granted Aug 8, 2023

Supported X-ray horn for controlling e-beams

Inventor: Thomas Kroc (Batavia, IL)
Assignee: FERMI RESEARCH ALLIANCE, LLC
A61L2/087A61L2/082H01J37/1475H01J2237/152
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,717,584
App. No.
17/681,668
Granted
Aug 8, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetic apparatus and a method of operating the magnetic apparatus can include a scanning electromagnet that redirects a beam of charged particles, a vacuum chamber that prevents the atmosphere from interfering with the charged particles, and, a parallelizing permanent magnet array for parallelizing the beam of charged particles. The parallelizing permanent magnet array can be located proximate to a target comprising a Bremsstrahlung target or an object that is being irradiated. The magnetic field of the scanning electromagnet can be variable to produce all angles necessary to sweep the beam of charged particles across the target and the parallelizing permanent magnet array can be configured from a magnetic material that does not require an electric current.

Claims (45)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a magnet assembly that redirects a beam of charged particles;

a vacuum chamber that prevents the atmosphere from interfering with the charged particles, the vacuum chamber comprising at least one internal bracing support element; and

a parallelizing magnet array for parallelizing the beam of charged particles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the beam of charged particles is redirected by the parallelizing magnet array from a diverging pattern output from the magnet assembly to a parallel pattern after being subjected to the parallelizing magnet array.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the beam of charged particles comprises an electron beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one internal bracing support element comprises one of:

a discrete post; and

a web.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the parallelizing magnet array comprises a plurality of permanent magnets.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a magnetic field strength is controllable by adjusting a gap between magnetic pole faces of permanent magnets among the plurality of permanent magnets.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a magnetic field strength is adjustable by at least one of:

adjusting a gap between at least two poles of permanent magnets in the plurality of permanent magnets; or

adding, removing or moving magnetic material, which modifies the magnetic field of the permanent magnets.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one pole piece in the parallelizing magnet array configured to adjust the beam of charged particles into a uniform irradiation field.

9. A magnetic apparatus, comprising:

a scanning magnetic assembly that redirects a beam of charged particles;

a vacuum chamber that prevents the atmosphere from interfering with the charged particles, the vacuum chamber comprising at least one internal bracing support element; and

a parallelizing permanent magnet array for parallelizing the beam of charged particles wherein the parallelizing permanent magnet array is located proximate to a target comprising a Bremsstrahlung target.

10. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 wherein the scanning magnetic assembly comprises:

a scanning RF cavity; and

a magnetic gradient assembly coupled to the scanning RF cavity.

11. The magnetic apparatus of claim 10 wherein the magnetic gradient assembly further comprises one of:

a gradient electromagnet; and

a gradient permanent magnet.

12. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 wherein the at least one internal bracing support element comprises one of:

a discrete post; and

a web.

13. A method, comprising:

redirecting a beam of charged particles with a scanning system engaged to a vacuum chamber that prevents atmosphere from interfering with the charged particles;

pausing the beam when it would be incident on an internal support structure;

parallelizing the beam of charged particles with a parallelizing magnet array, wherein the parallelizing permanent magnet array is located proximate to a target; and

sweeping the beam of charged particles across the target.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

redirecting the beam of charged particles by the parallelizing magnet array from a diverging pattern output from the scanning system to a parallel pattern after being subjected to the parallelizing magnet array.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the beam of charged particles comprises an electron beam.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the beam of charged particles comprises an X-ray portion after the beam of charged particles has been subject to parallelization.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the parallelizing magnet array comprises a plurality of permanent magnets, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets is adjustable to compensate for a degradation of magnetic field strength over time.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

adjusting field strength by adjusting a gap between magnetic pole faces of permanent magnets among the plurality of permanent magnets.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein magnetic field strength is adjustable by:

adjusting a gap between at least two poles of permanent magnets in the plurality of permanent magnets; or

adding, removing or moving magnetic material associated with the plurality of permanent magnets.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the magnetic apparatus comprises an irradiation device for irradiating an object.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2024
From: FERMI RESEARCH ALLIANCE, LLC
To: FERMI FORWARD DISCOVERY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 069795/0347 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: KROC, THOMAS
To: FERMI RESEARCH ALLIANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 059118/0471 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17116880 · Dec 9, 2020
Continuation In Part 16428664 · May 31, 2019
Related Publication 20220175981A1 · Jun 9, 2022