Drift tube assembly for linear accelerators

A drift tube assembly, comprising:

• a drift tube including a cylindrical main body and a fastening stem extending from a sidewall of the main body, the fastening stem including a cylindrical base portion having a threaded exterior surface and a gripping portion extending from a top of the base portion, the gripping portion having a tapered exterior surface and defining a mounting socket;
• a mounting device defining a passthrough and having an interior surface with a threaded lower portion threadedly engaging the threaded exterior surface of the base portion, the interior surface further including a tapered portion extending from a top of the lower portion, the tapered portion parallel to, and radially engaging, the tapered exterior surface of the gripping portion;
• and
• a mounting rod extending through the passthrough of the mounting device and into the mounting socket of the gripping portion;
• wherein tightening the mounting device onto the fastening stem causes the gripping portion to exert a radially-inwardly directed force on the mounting rod to couple the drift tube to the mounting rod.

A drift tube assembly, comprising:

• a drift tube including a cylindrical main body and a fastening stem extending from a sidewall of the main body;
• a mounting rod terminating in a collet, the collet including a cylindrical base portion having a threaded exterior surface and a frustoconical gripping portion extending from a bottom of the base portion, the gripping portion having a tapered exterior surface and defining a mounting socket;
• and
• a mounting device comprising a nut defining a passthrough and having an interior surface with a threaded upper portion threadedly engaging the threaded exterior surface of the base portion, the interior surface further including a tapered portion extending from a bottom of the upper portion, the tapered portion parallel to, and radially engaging, the tapered exterior surface of the gripping portion;
• wherein the fastening stem extends through the passthrough of the mounting device and into the mounting socket of the gripping portion;
• and
• wherein tightening the mounting device onto the collet causes the gripping portion to exert a radially-inwardly directed force on the mounting rod to couple the drift tube to the mounting rod.

An ion implantation system comprising:

• an ion source for generating an ion beam;
• an end station for holding a substrate to be implanted by the ion beam;
• and
• a linear accelerator disposed between the ion source and the end station and adapted to accelerate the ion beam, the linear accelerator comprising at least one acceleration stage including a drift tube assembly, the drift tube assembly comprising:
• a drift tube including a cylindrical main body and a mounting cuff extending from a sidewall of the main body, the mounting cuff defining a mounting socket;
• a mounting device disposed within the mounting socket of the drift tube, the mounting device comprising:
• a frustoconical inner sleeve having a tapered exterior surface and defining a passthrough;
• a tubular outer sleeve radially surrounding the inner sleeve and having a tapered interior surface parallel to, and radially engaging, the exterior surface of the inner sleeve;
• and
• a nut radially surrounding upper portions of the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve and including a radially inwardly extending flange extending into an annular groove formed in an exterior of the outer sleeve, the nut further having a threaded interior surface threadedly engaging a threaded upper portion of the exterior surface of the inner sleeve;
• and
• a mounting rod extending into the passthrough of the inner sleeve of the mounting device;
• wherein tightening the nut causes the inner sleeve to exert a radially-inwardly directed force on the mounting rod and causes the outer sleeve to exert a radially-outwardly directed force on the mounting cuff to couple the drift tube to the mounting rod.