Accelerators for Medical Applications - Radio Frequency Powering

TL;DR

This paper reviews radio-frequency powering systems for medical applications, covering vacuum tubes, transistors, and system components, and provides a case study on efficiency and cost analysis of different technologies.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive overview of RF powering systems tailored for medical use, including technical essentials and a detailed case study.

Findings

Analysis of vacuum tube and transistor technologies for medical RF powering

Efficiency and cost comparison of different RF powering systems

Case study illustrating practical application and performance metrics

Abstract

This paper reviews the main types of radio-frequency powering systems which may be used for medical applications. It gives the essentials on vacuum tubes, including tetrodes, klystrons, and inductive output tubes, and the essentials on transistors. The basics of combining systems, splitting systems, and transmission lines are discussed. The paper concludes with a case study specific to medical applications, including overall efficiency and cost analysis regarding the various available technologies.