Technical Paper Abstract

CW RFD Linacs for the BNCT Application

D.A. Swenson,

A linac-based source of epithermal neutrons for the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) application is described. A new rf-focused linac structure, designed specifically to increase the acceleration efficiency and reduce the cost of the RFQ linac structure in the few-MeV range, may win the role as the optimum accelerator-based configuration for the BNCT application. This new linac structure resembles a drift tube linac (DTL) with radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) focusing incorporated into each "drift tube", hence the name Rf Focused DTL, or RFD. The general properties of this structure are described. Arguments for it's CW capabilities are made. A table of parameters for the accelerator is given, and the status of a prototype, currently under construction at Linac Systems, is presented.