Since its commissioning in 1986, the iThemba LABS K=200 separated sector cyclotron (SSC) has played a critical role in advancing nuclear physics, particle therapy, and radioisotope production. However, the equal division of beam time across these programs has historically limited the full potential of nuclear physics research. That’s about to change.
K8 SPC1
K11 SPC2
11 MeV PET
K200 SSC
iThemba LABS provides accelerator and ancillary facilities that are used for research and training in nuclear and accelerator physics, radiation biophysics, radiochemical and material sciences and radionuclide productions. Proton beams are accelerated to a maximum energy of 200 MeV (megaelectron volt) in the K=200 separated sector cyclotron (SSC), pre-accelerated with a K=8 solid-pole injector cyclotron (SPC1), for use in the production of radionuclides. Radionuclides produced at iThemba LABS are used in research and industry, various radiopharmaceuticals are prepared for diagnostic imaging at nuclear medicine centers.
Beam is delivered to the different users for 24 hours per day and seven days per week. The beam schedule is semi-rigid, with the Radionuclide Productions Department taking the beam on Monday and Tuesday. The intensity of the proton beam used for the latter application can be increased up to 300 μA, but is limited to typically 220 μA and 80 μA, depending on the target to be irradiated. The rest of the beamtime is reserved for subatomic physics experiments scheduled via the Program Advisory Committee (PAC). Beams of light and heavy ions as well as polarized protons, pre-accelerated in a second solid-pole injector cyclotron (SPC2), are used for nuclear physics experiments.
The proton beam that is used for the production of radionuclides and neutron therapy, is pre-accelerated in the first solid-pole injector cyclotron (SPC1) to an energy of 3.14 MeV and then finally in the separated-sector cyclotron (SSC) to an energy of 66 MeV at an RF frequency of 16.37 MHz
- SPC1 is designed to accelerate protons to a maximum beam energy of 8 MeV.
- Equipped with an internal Penning Ionisation Gauge (PIG) ion source, capable of accelerating particles with a mass-to-charge ratio (q/m) of 0.25, ranging from protons to heavy ions.
- SPC1 is mostly utilized for the pre-acceleration of proton beams used in the production of radioisotopes.
- Operates at frequencies from 8.6 MHz to 26 MHz, using the 2nd and 6th harmonic modes for acceleration.
- Extraction is achieved through:
- An Electrostatic Extraction Channel (EEC).
- Two Magnetic Extraction Channels (MEC1 and MEC2).
- SPC2 is a four-sector, solid-pole cyclotron with two 90° dees and an extraction radius of 0.476 m.
- Beams are transported via a transfer beamline.
- Sources include a polarised ion source or any of the two electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources.
- Beams are axially injected into SPC2 using a spiral inflector.
- Three interchangeable spiral inflectors are used to accommodate a range of energies and ion species.
- The magnetic field can be adjusted with six trim coils.
- The extraction system is identical to that of SPC1.
