Hydrogen ion accelerator

A method of generating gamma rays comprising the steps of:

• a) charging a high voltage electrode from a first source of high voltage current;
• b) generating a hydrogen ion beam and passing it through an acceleration tube between the high voltage electrode and a ground plane:
• c) bending the hydrogen ion beam through about 180.degree. so it returns to the high voltage electrode;
• d) passing the beam through a target before returning the hydrogen ion beam to the high voltage electrode;
• e) generating gamma rays of a selected energy through beam interaction with the target;
• and
• f) recovering energy from the beam by decelerating the hydrogen ion beam after it passes through the target by returning the beam to the high voltage electrode thus collecting charge from the beam at the high voltage electrode.

A method of detecting nitrogen comprising the steps of:

• a) charging a high voltage electrode from a first source of high voltage current;
• b) generating a hydrogen ion beam and passing it through an acceleration tube between the high voltage electrode and a ground plane:
• c) bending the hydrogen ion beam through about 180.degree. so it returns to the high voltage electrode;
• d) passing the beam through a target before returning the hydrogen ion beam to the high voltage electrode;
• e) generating gamma rays of a selected energy through beam interaction with the target;
• and
• f) recovering energy from the beam by collecting charges from the beam at the high voltage electrode;
• and wherein the hydrogen ion beam is accelerated to about 1750.6 keV and wherein the target is composed of .sup.13 C, and detecting concealed concentrations of nitrogen by passing the generated gamma rays through an object containing concealed concentrations of nitrogen.

A hydrogen ion accelerator, comprising:

• a) a ground plane;
• b) a high voltage electrode spaced from and electrically isolated from the ground plane at a selected potential;
• c) a first source of negative high voltage current, in supplying relation to the high voltage electrode;
• d) an acceleration tube extending from the ground plane to the high voltage electrode;
• e) a deceleration tube extending from the high voltage electrode to the ground plan;
• f) an hydrogen ion source producing an ion beam having a current greater than supplied by the first source of high voltage current, the ion beam being acceleration between the ground plane and the high voltage electrode along the acceleration tube, and across the potential between the ground plane and the high voltage electrode, the ion beam defining a beam path;
• g) at least one magnet having a magnetic field of sufficient strength and a shape so as to cause the hydrogen ion beam produced by the ion source and accelerated by the potential between the high voltage electrode and the ground plane to traverse a portion of the beam path between the acceleration tube and the deceleration tube;
• h) a target interposed in the beam path between the acceleration tube and the deceleration tube, wherein the target allows passage of a majority of the ion beam;
• and
• i) a beam collector mounted at the ground plane in receiving relation to the deceleration tube, wherein the hydrogen ion beam path extends from the hydrogen ion source through the acceleration tube and through the deceleration tube and terminates at the collector, and wherein the beam is captured at the ground plane, thus because the high voltage electrode is negatively charged the hydrogen ion beam is recycled by returning the beam to the ground plane.