How Does Varex Manufacture Linear Accelerators?
“Linatrons”: the trademark name of Varex´s commercial Electron Linear Accelerators. Varex is a global leader in the manufacturing of these complex systems, their designs optimized for Security, NDT, Oncology and Sterilization applications .
Linatron systems are produced in tight cooperation between specialist Varex teams located in the USA. Much of our production and R&D is vertically integrated – ensuring progressive increases in performance for our customers.
All components that have passed tight Varex quality control are assembled into complete Linatron systems. Optional components may be added to the systems at this stage per application requirements. During final Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) customers are welcome to visit the factory.
The final ATP is usually performed at one of the Varex designated locations, equipped with shielded test cells, ensuring safety of the personnel and visitors. The test cells are in use at three domestic Varex locations.
Advantage for Varex Imaging Customers
Varex proprietary accelerator engineering and in-house manufacturing enable high dose rates,excellent resolution and exceptional reliability.
Technology at The Heart of Linear Accelerators
Varex produced Accelerator Beam Centerlines (ABC) are designed and manufactured in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. ABC consist of a vacuum sealed envelope which includes a compact high- vacuum pump, maintaining ultra-high vacuum. One of the main elements of the envelope is a microwave structure, which is built and tuned with very high precision, permitting a match of the ABC with a radiofrequency (RF) power source, commonly a magnetron or a klystron.
The ABC contains elements designed to form a high-energy electron beam, usually in the range of 1 MeV to 20 MeV, useful for Linatron Applications. The electron beam is formed using several elements. These include an electron gun and a carefully designed and tuned microwave structure, consisting of a set of coupled resonators brazed together. During the acceleration process, the electrons are composed into “bunches” and accelerated to near the speed of light by the oscillating microwave fields, which are specially distributed in the resonators.
Linatrons are equipped with a water-cooled electron beam stopping target, producing “Bremsstrahlung” or braking radiation. This produces a continuous energy spectrum X-Ray flux which has peak energy equal to the electron energy. Some systems are designed to produce electron beam (e-beam) output, which is extracted from the vacuum envelope through a thin foil. The X-rays from Linatrons or E-beams produced are utilized for multiple applications, which range from treating cancer to inspecting rockets, to protecting country borders.
