How It Works
Components and operating principles of the Alpha-E Compact Particle Accelerator.
Components of the Alpha-E
Compact Particle Accelerator
Ion Beam Source
The ion source is the heart of the Alpha-E system. The main housing encloses the plasma-forming cavity and ion optics used to form the ion beam. On one end is the microwave coupling assembly for electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) excitation and input ports for the acceleration voltage and the cooling fluid. On the other end the beam output flange connects to the modular target assembly.
Vacuum Pumps & Pressure Control
The Alpha-E system is designed to operate with hydrogen or deuterium as the neutral gas for plasma ionization. Gas flow is regulated using a mass flow controller (MFC). A turbomolecular pump system is needed for operation of the ion beam. In typical operation, the input gas flow is balanced against the continual vacuum pump operation to establish and maintain the pressure needed to form the plasma in the ion beam source.
RF Source
The unit includes a solid-state oscillator and a series of amplifiers and signal conditioning hardware. The amplifier gain is kept fixed, and the user can vary the output power by adjusting an attenuator using the provided software. For typical operation, the RF/MW source is pulsed at a rate of 100–1000 Hz at a 5–10% duty cycle.
High-Voltage Power Supply
The acceleration voltage is provided by a high-voltage power supply (HVPS). Alpha Ring provides HVPS units for Alpha-E with a maximum voltage of 30 kV.
Detection Systems
The standard configuration of the Alpha-E accelerator includes two particle detectors and sensors for measurement of gas pressure, temperatures, and other operating conditions. Additionally, the modular system can accommodate a large number of both commercially available and custom designed detection systems.
Particle Detection Systems
The standard configuration of the Alpha-E accelerator includes two particle detectors. A semiconductor sensor measures energetic charged particles and a scintillator device detects fast neutrons. Additionally, the modular system can accommodate a large number of both commercially available and custom designed detection systems.
Detection and measurement of energetic (~MeV) particles are essential activities when working with nuclear systems such as fusion and fission, but also for industries such as material testing, medical diagnosis and treatment, border security, and health and safety.
Semiconductor Sensors
Si-PIN diode detectors are sensitive to energetic charged particles.
Scintillator-Based Detectors
Fast neutron detectors.
Cloud Chambers
Visualize energetic charged particles.
Solid-State Nuclear Track Detectors
CR-39 polymer track detectors.
Operating Specifications
The Alpha-E ion beam source can operate between 1–30 keV. At beam energies below 30 keV, the shielding requirements are greatly simplified, but certain nuclear fusion reactions, such as p-¹¹B that have much smaller cross section than reactions like D-D and D-T in this energy regime, effectively require a higher beam energy to accumulate enough detection events to generate high-quality data in a reasonable acquisition time.
For higher acceleration potentials (>30 kV), additional shielding is needed to protect the user from x-rays produced.
Key Parameters
Modular Accessories
Many components of the Alpha-E system can be used in other configurations as part of a modular research or teaching platform. Contact us for more information on hardware and software integration options.
Regulatory & Compliance
Declaration of Conformity
This device complies with
- FCC Rules for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) Equipment (47 CFR Part 18)
- Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2014/30/EU (EN 55011 CISPR 11)
Ongoing testing indicates at least partial compliance with low voltage safety regulations (IEC 61010-1:2010/A1:2019/AC:2019-04).
This device has been registered with the US FDA (accession no. 2580002-000).
Operating Conditions
- This device may not cause harmful interference.
- This device is not intended for use in residential settings.
- This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Note: This is not a full statement of certification. Test reports indicate compliance. Supporting documentation for compliance assurance with regulatory requirements is available upon request.