Thomas Haberer

Electron cyclotron resonance ion source experience at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center.

Radiotherapy with heavy ions is an upcoming cancer treatment method with to date unparalleled precision. It associates higher control rates particularly for radiation resistant tumor species with reduced adverse effects compared to conventional photon therapy. The accelerator beam lines and structures of the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) have been designed under the leadership of GSI, Darmstadt with contributions of the IAP Frankfurt. Currently, the accelerator is under commissioning, while the injector linac has been completed. When the patient treatment begins in 2008, HIT will be the first medical heavy ion accelerator in Europe. This presentation will provide an overview about the project, with special attention given to the 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources in operation with carbon, hydrogen, helium, and oxygen, and the experience of one year of continuous operation. It also displays examples for beam emittances, measured in the low energy beam transport. In addition to the outlook of further developments at the ECR ion sources for a continuously stable operation, this paper focuses on some of the technical processings of the past year.

Test bench to commission a third ion source beam line and a newly designed extraction system

The HIT (Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center) is the first hospital-based treatment facility in Europe where patients can be irradiated with protons and carbon ions. Since the commissioning starting in 2006 two 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion sources are routinely used to produce a variety of ion beams from protons up to oxygen. In the future a helium beam for regular patient treatment is requested, therefore a third ion source (Supernanogan source from PANTECHNIK S.A.) will be integrated. This third ECR source with a newly designed extraction system and a spectrometer line is installed at a test bench at HIT to commission and validate this section. Measurements with different extraction system setups will be presented to show the improvement of beam quality for helium, proton, and carbon beams. An outlook to the possible integration scheme of the new ion source into the production facility will be discussed.

Progress in ion source injector development at the ion beam therapy center (Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center).

Radiotherapy with heavy ions is an upcoming cancer treatment method with to date unachieved precision. It associates higher control rates particularly for radio-resistant tumor species with reduced adverse effects compared to conventional photon therapy. At Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center two 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion sources are routinely used to produce a variety of ion beams from protons up to oxygen. The operating time is 330 days per year; our experience after 3 yr of continuous operation will be presented, with special emphasis on stability and breakdowns of components. In addition, the latest enhancement and the results for the operation will be shown.

Improvements for extending the time between maintenance periods for the Heidelberg ion beam therapy center (HIT) ion sources.

The clinical operation at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) started in November 2009; since then more than 1600 patients have been treated. In a 24/7 operation scheme two 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion sources are routinely used to produce protons and carbon ions. The modification of the low energy beam transport line and the integration of a third ion source into the therapy facility will be shown. In the last year we implemented a new extraction system at all three sources to enhance the lifetime of extraction parts and reduce preventive and corrective maintenance. The new four-electrode-design provides electron suppression as well as lower beam emittance. Unwanted beam sputtering effects which typically lead to contamination of the insulator ceramics and subsequent high-voltage break-downs are minimized by the beam guidance of the new extraction system. By this measure the service interval can be increased significantly. As a side effect, the beam emittance can be reduced allowing a less challenging working point for the ion sources without reducing the effective beam performance. This paper gives also an outlook to further enhancements at the HIT ion source testbench.