US 12,615,706 B2 · Approach to increase LINAC operating range of linear accelerator

Abstract

An ion implanter, including an ion source and extraction system, arranged to generate an ion beam at a first ion energy, and a linear accelerator, arranged to accelerate the ion beam to a second ion energy, wherein the linear accelerator comprises a plurality of acceleration stages coupled to receive a plurality of RF signals from a plurality of power assemblies, respectively. The linear accelerator may be configured wherein at least one stage of the plurality of acceleration stages is coupled to: reversibly connect to a first power assembly, comprising a resonator that contains a resonator enclosure, the first power assembly generating a first RF signal at a first frequency; to disconnect from the first power assembly; and to connect to a second power assembly, generating a second RF signal at a second frequency, greater than the first frequency, while not changing the resonator enclosure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An ion implanter, comprising:

an ion source and extraction system, arranged to generate an ion beam at a first ion energy;
and
a linear accelerator, the linear accelerator being arranged to accelerate the ion beam to a second ion energy, greater than the first ion energy, wherein the linear accelerator comprises a plurality of acceleration stages that are coupled to receive a plurality of RF signals from a plurality of power assemblies, respectively, wherein the linear accelerator is configured wherein at least one stage of the plurality of acceleration stages is coupled to:
reversibly connect to a first power assembly, comprising a resonator that contains a resonator enclosure, the first power assembly generating a first RF signal at a first frequency;
to disconnect from the first power assembly;
and
to connect to a second power assembly, generating a second RF signal at a second frequency, greater than the first frequency, while not changing the resonator enclosure.

4 more elements

A linear accelerator for use in an ion implanter, comprising:

a vacuum enclosure, arranged to contain an ion beam;
a plurality of drift tube assemblies, arranged within the vacuum enclosure, wherein a given drift tube assembly of the plurality of drift tube assemblies defines a given acceleration stage of a plurality of acceleration stages of the linear accelerator;
a plurality of quadrupoles, arranged within the vacuum enclosure, wherein a given quadrupole is arranged at the given acceleration stage of the linear accelerator;
and
an interface for coupling to a set of external power assemblies, at the plurality of acceleration stages, wherein at least one acceleration stage is arranged to:
reversibly connect to a first power assembly, comprising a resonator that contains a resonator enclosure, the first power assembly generating an RF signal at a first frequency;
to disconnect from the first power assembly;
and
to connect to a second power assembly, generating a second RF signal at a second frequency, greater than the first frequency, while not changing the resonator enclosure.

6 more elements

A method of operating an ion implanter, comprising:

accelerating a first ion species through an RF linear accelerator using a first power assembly configuration;
switching the RF linear accelerator to a second power assembly configuration;
and
accelerating a second ion species through the RF linear accelerator using the second power assembly configuration,
wherein the first power assembly configuration comprises a first power assembly, comprising a resonator that includes a resonator enclosure, the first power assembly generating an RF signal at a first frequency, and wherein the second power assembly configuration comprises a second power assembly, generating a second RF signal at a second frequency, greater than the first frequency,
wherein the RF linear accelerator is switched from the first power assembly configuration to the second power assembly configuration, without changing the resonator enclosure.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Approach to increase LINAC operating range of linear accelerator

Life of this patent

Approach to increase LINAC operating range of linear accelerator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20