Crystal Channelling for Hadron Therapy Accelerators

In this study, the effect of crystal channelling in low energy (kinetic energy from 60 to 250MeV) proton beam which is the energy range required for hadron therapy treatments in a medical accelerator is investigated. This was investigated using a Monte-Carlo simulation programme which combined beam dynamic simulations with particle-matter interactions. The behaviour of the crystal was explored both in isolation, to understand its physical properties, and within the context of a full accelerator, to replace an extraction septum magnet used in the Proton-Ion Medical Machine Study (PIMMS) synchrotron. The study analysed the channelling effect under various beam energies and found that the channelling effect, with many real-life application potential, was difficult to obtain at low energies. Moreover, it was shown and explained that there exists an optimal set of bending angles and crystal lengths for particular beam energy.