First CNAO beams for PEPITES !

We were able to successfully measure with PEPITES our first profile of a therapeutic beam of carbon ions delivered by the CNAO (Pavia, Italy) !

The CNAO (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica), located in Pavia, Italy, delivers therapeutic proton and carbon beams. We were able to test our ultrathin PEPITES beam monitor there for 2 nights on November 19 and 20, 2023. The profiles were successfully measured for proton and carbon ion beams over a wide energy range (from 62 MeV to 227 MeV for protons and from 115 MeV/u to 395 MeV/u for carbon ions)

Plots of first carbon ion beam recorded by PEPITES. On the right, current measurements with horizontal et vertical strips. The reconstructed spot if shown on the lower left corner.

The detector was located in its vacuum chamber, equipped with its dedicated electronics developed at the CEA

PEPITES vacuum chamber on the CNAO experimental beam line.

First beam profile !!!

This Tuesday, May 31, 2022 will forever remain a key date for the PEPITES project and all its participants. It was indeed at 10:09 a.m. (!) that the detector, installed the previous week, delivered its first diagnosis in the form of the transverse profiles of the 68 MeV proton beam delivered by the ARRONAX cyclotron. With a dedicated ASIC developed by CEA-DEDIP as part of the project, we were able to “see” beams ranging from 20nA to pA and measured signals as low as 30fA! Great successes for this project started a few years ago and which augurs great work to come.

First ARRONAX 68 MeV 1pA beam profile. 

 

PEPITES in its vacuum chamber with its z-manipultor on top, installed on ARRONAX AX1 line.

 

 The PEPITES detector upside down. (credit Sylvaine Pieyre-LLR)

PEPITES patent issued !

The patent protecting the PEPITES profiler developed by LLR researchers has been granted

“SYSTEME DE CARACTERISATION D’UN FAISCEAU DE PARTICULES CHARGEES ET MACHINE DE PRODUCTION D’UN FAISCEAU DE PARTICULES CHARGEES COMPRENANT UN TEL SYSTEME”

Invention patent 1850979 issued to Ecole polytechnique and CNRS

Patent FR3077646 B1