US 10,535,441 B1 · Method of irradiating a target

Abstract

A method of irradiating a target with a high power density irradiation beam is described. The method can use an irradiation system configured to output an irradiation beam through a vacuum window. The irradiation beam is scanned repetitively back and forth between two angular orientations of the irradiation beam as the irradiation beam strikes and traverses the vacuum window. The target is moved as the irradiation beam is scanned. The irradiation beam and the target are aligned. The scanning of the irradiations beam and the moving of the target are synchronized to each other. The scanning of the irradiation beam prevents localized overheating of the vacuum window and allows the irradiation beam to have a power density that would damage the vacuum window if the irradiation beam were not scanned.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of irradiating a target, the method comprising:

scanning an irradiation beam repetitively back and forth between two angular orientations of the irradiation beam as the irradiation beam strikes a vacuum window and traverses the vacuum window;
moving, along a straight line, the target repetitively back and forth between two target positions;
aligning the target and the irradiation beam to each other;
synchronizing, to each other, the scanning of the irradiation beam and the moving of the target along the straight line to maintain alignment between the irradiation beam and the target during the scanning of the irradiation beam and the moving of the target;
shutting down the irradiation beam when a stop criterion is met.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/039,976Filed 19 Jul 2018 · continuation in part

Priority

CA 271397231 Aug 2010

Published

US 2020/0023197 A123 Jan 2020

Granted

14 Jan 2020

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

G21G 1/12
Outside nuclear reactors or particle accelerators: by electromagnetic irradiation, e.g. with gamma or X-rays
H05H 7/00
Details of devices of the types covered by groups h05h9/00, h05h11/00, h05h13/00
A61N 5/1043
With spatial modulation of the radiation beam within the treatment head: scanning the radiation beam, e.g. spot scanning or raster scanning
A61N 5/1044
Scanning the radiation beam, e.g. spot scanning or raster scanning: with multiple repetitions of the scanning pattern

Family

Application61/368,115Us provisional application · filed 27 Jul 2010

Application13/192,061Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Jul 2011

US 2012/0025105 A1Published application

US 2020/0023197 A1Published application

US 10,535,441 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method of irradiating a target

Life of this patent

Method of irradiating a target

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19