AIC-144 cyclotron: present status

The presented AIC-144 cyclotron was designed and constructed 20 years ago in the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kraków (Poland). Later on it was modernized, after the decision of creating the Hadron Radiotherapy Centre in Kraków was taken by the government. At present, the cyclotron is capable to deliver beams of protons (with energy up to 60 MeV), deuterons (with energy up to 30 MeV) and a-particles (with energy up to 60 MeV). The magnetic structure and the RF system were modernized (a new HF generator with output power 120 kW and frequency range 10-27 MHz was installed; an RF cavity resonator was reconstructed to improve the Q-factor at the highest frequencies). The new PIG source and system of central diaphragms was built to improve beams quality on the first turns. The single lamella and multilamella probes were fully reconstructed. Special effort was put on a highly efficient extraction system. The precession method for particles extraction was chosen as the best one. All computer simulations and experimental runs were done in close cooperation with specialists from the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems JINR, Dubna. The extraction system consists of 2 electrostatic deflectors, 3 magnetic channels (passive) and 4 coils for shaping of the 1st harmonic. So far, the beam extraction experiments were carried out for the proton beams with the final energy of 35 MeV, 48 MeV and 60 MeV. For all these energies the efficiency of extraction was above 50%. A computer remote control of the main magnet power supply and of the 24 correction coils was installed and put into operation. In the last 3 years, the internal beams of protons and a-particles were used to produce radioisotopes like 11C, 57Co, 83-85Sr, 102Rh, 111In, 173-175Hf, 178-181W.