Patent ID: 8311187

Claim:
A method for generating electrons of different ranges of energies using a traveling wave linear accelerator, the method comprising: (a) generating electrons having a first range of energies by performing the steps of: coupling a first electromagnetic wave generated by a magnetron into the traveling wave linear accelerator; ejecting a first beam of electrons with a first electron beam current and a first pulse length from an electron gun into the accelerator; accelerating the first beam of electrons with the first electromagnetic wave to the first range of energies, the first range of energies being based upon the first electron beam current; and outputting the first beam of electrons from the accelerator at a first dose based on the first pulse length and at a first captured electron beam current; (b) generating electrons having a second range of energies value by performing the steps of: coupling a second electromagnetic wave generated by the magnetron into the accelerator; ejecting a second beam of electrons with a second electron beam current and a second pulse length from the electron gun into the accelerator, the second electron beam current being different from the first electron beam current, the second pulse length being different from the first pulse length; accelerating the second beam of electrons with the second electromagnetic wave to the second range of energies, the second range of energies being based upon the second electron beam current, a central value of the second range of energies being different from a central value of the first range of energies; and outputting the second beam of electrons from the accelerator at a second dose based on the second pulse length and at a second captured electron beam current, wherein a magnitude of the second captured electron beam current is different from a magnitude of the first captured electron beam current; and (c) interleaving the first and second ranges of energies by repeating steps (a) and (b).