Particle accelerators having electromechanical motors and methods of operating and manufacturing the same

A method of operating a particle accelerator having an acceleration chamber, the method comprising:

• providing a particle beam of charged particles in the acceleration chamber, the particle beam being directed along a desired path;
• selectively moving a mechanical device within the acceleration chamber, the mechanical device being moved by an electromechanical (EM) motor comprising a connector component and piezoelectric elements operatively coupled to the connector component, the connector component being operatively attached to the mechanical device, wherein the EM motor drives the connector component when the piezoelectric elements are activated;
• wherein the mechanical device comprises a capacitor plate that is spaced apart from a hollow dee by a separation distance, said moving operation includes moving the capacitor plate with respect to the hollow dee to change the separation distance and thereby change a resonance frequency of the particle accelerator.

A method of manufacturing a particle accelerator, the particle accelerator including an acceleration chamber and an electrical field system and a magnetic field system that are configured to direct charged particles along a desired path within the acceleration chamber, the method comprising:

• positioning a mechanical device within the acceleration chamber and mounting the EM motor to a pole top or adjacent to the pole top, the mechanical device configured to be selectively moved to different positions within the acceleration chamber;
• and
• operatively coupling an electromechanical (EM) motor to the mechanical device, the EM motor comprising a connector component and piezoelectric elements that are operatively coupled to the connector component, the connector component being operatively attached to the mechanical device, wherein the EM motor is configured to drive the connector component when the piezoelectric elements are activated thereby moving the mechanical device.