Compact Linac with Dynamic Controls for Image Driven Optimisation of X-ray screening

基于直线加速器的X射线源通常被世界各地的海关官员和国土安全部门用于扫描集装箱和卡车的内容，以寻找非法材料和货物以及危险材料。直线加速器由一个小型粒子加速器和一个靶组成。现代扫描系统需要更灵活的X射线源来提供更好的物体扫描，其中X射线输出可以与每个待扫描物体紧密匹配，称为图像驱动优化。兰开斯特大学和STFC最近开发了一种紧凑的可控X射线源作为PNPAS方案的一部分。我们建议改进该直线加速器的工程设计，以提高其技术准备水平，并将该直线加速器升级到更高的束流能量，3 MeV，并实施为高能物理加速器开发的复杂控制系统，以允许开发适合图像驱动优化的灵活X射线源。直线加速器也比传统直线加速器小得多，允许重量的减少，这提高了直线加速器的可操作性。

Linac based X-ray sources are commonly used by customs officers and homeland security worldwide to scan the contents of shipping containers and trucks for illicit materials and goods, as well as dangerous materials. The linac consists of a small particle accelerator and a target. Modern scanning systems require more flexible X-ray sources to provide better scanning of objects where the X-ray output can be closely matched for each object to be scanned, known as image driven optimisation. However such flexible X-ray sources are not currently available.Lancaster University and STFC have recently developed a compact controllable X-ray source as part of the PNPAS scheme. We propose to improve the engineering design of this linac to increase its technology readiness level as well as upgrading this linac to a higher beam energy, 3 MeV, and implement a sophisticated control system developed for high energy physics accelerators to allow the development of a flexible X-ray source suitable for image driven optimisation.The linac is also significantly smaller than conventional linacs, allowing a reduction in weight that improves themanoeuverability of the linac.