Very-High Energy Electron (VHEE) Studies at CERN's CLEAR User Facility

IPAC 2018 Proceedings • 2018

Agnese Lagzda, R.M. Jones, A. Aitkenhead, K. Kirkby, R. MacKay, M. van Herk, R. Corsini, W. Farabolini

We investigated how inserts of various densities (0.001-2.2 g/cm3) affect the dose distribution properties of VHEE beams at ~150 MeV. A range variation comparison was also made with clinical proton beams using TOPAS/GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations. In addition, we assess the viability of scattering foils for optimizing the size of VHEE beams for radiotherapy purposes. The experiments were conducted at CERN's CLEAR user facility.
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Poster

First Experiments at the CLEAR User Facility

IPAC 2018 Proceedings • 2018

R. Corsini, D. Gamba, W. Farabolini, A. Curcio, S. Curt, S. Doebert, R. Garcia Alia, T. Lefevre, G. McMonagle, P. Skowronski, M. Tali, F. Tecker, E. Adli, C. A. Lindstrøm, K. Sjobak, A. Lagzda, R.M. Jones

The new "CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research" (CLEAR) facility at CERN started its operation in fall 2017. CLEAR results from the conversion of the CALIFES beam line of the former CLIC Test Facility (CTF3) into a new testbed for general accelerator R & D and component studies for existing and possible future accelerator applications. CLEAR can provide a stable and reliable electron beam from 60 to 220 MeV in single or multi bunch configuration at 1.5 GHz. The experimental program includes studies for high gradient acceleration methods, e.g. for CLIC X-band and plasma technology, prototyping and validation of accelerator components, e.g. for the HL-LHC upgrade, and irradiation test capabilities for characterization of electronic components and for medical applications. An overview of the facility capabilities and a summary of the latest results will be presented.
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Use of Supramolecular Assemblies as Lithographic Resists

Angewandte Chemie • June 6, 2017

Scott M. Lewis, Antonio Fernandez, Guy A. DeRose, Matthew S. Hunt, George F. S. Whitehead, Agnese Lagzda, Hayden R. Alty, Jesus Ferrando-Soria, Sarah Varey, Andreas K. Kostopoulos, Fredrik Schedin, Christopher A. Muryn, Grigore A. Timco, Axel Scherer, Stephen G. Yeates and Richard E. P. Winpenny

A new resist material for electron beam lithography has been created that is based on a supramolecular assembly. Initial studies revealed that with this supramolecular approach, high-resolution structures can be written that show unprecedented selectivity when exposed to etching conditions involving plasmas.
doi: 10.1002/anie.201700224

Relative Insensitivity to Inhomogeneities on Very High Energy Electron Dose Distributions

IPAC 2017 Proceedings • May 19, 2017

Agnese Lagzda, R.M. Jones, D. Angal-Kalinin, J. Jones, A. Aitkenhead, K. Kirkby, R. MacKay, M. van Herk, W. Farabolini, S. Zeeshan

We investigated the effects of heterogeneous regions on dose deposition of very high-energy electrons (VHEE) using both Geant4 simulations and experiments performed at the CALIFES facility at CERN. Small air and acetal plastic (bone equivalent) cavities were embedded in a water phantom and irradiated with a 197 MeV electron beam. Experimentally determined transverse dose profiles were acquired using radiation sensitive EBT3 Gafchromic films embedded in the water phantom at various depths. EBT3 Gafchromic films were found to be a suitable dosimeter for relative dose dosimetry of VHEE beams. Simulated and measured results were found to be consistent with each other and the largest discrepancy was found to be no more than 5%. Dose profiles of VHEE beams were found to be relatively insensitive to embedded high and low density geometries.
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Results of the VHEE Studies in VESPER/CLEAR

CLIC Workshop 2018, CERN, Switzerland • 22-26 January, 2018

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Relative Insensitivity to Inhomogeneities on VHEE Dose Distributions

VHEE’17; Very High Energy Electron Radiotherapy: Medical & Accelerator Physics Aspects Towards Machine Realisation, The Cockcroft Institute, Daresbury Laboratory, UK• July 24-26, 2017

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Very High energy electron beams for radiotherapy

4th EuCARD-2 Annual Meeting, University of Strathclyde• March 28-30, 2017

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Very High-Energy Electrons (VHEE) in the UK

CLIC Workshop 2017, CERN • March 6-10, 2017

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Very High Energy Electron (VHEE) Simulations and Planned Experiments for a Potential New Paradigm in Radiotherapy Treatment

CALIFES Workshop 2016, CERN • October 10-12, 2016

link to the slides