ACLIP: A 3 GHZ SIDE COUPLED LINAC FOR PROTONTHERAPY TO BE USED AS A BOOSTER FOR 30 MEV CYCLOTRONS

A 3 GHz Side Coupled linac (ACLIP) has been designed to accelerate the proton energy of a 30 MeV commercial cyclotron up to 240 MeV, needed for deep protontherapy (PT). The first module of the linac, able to accelerate proton from 30 to 35 MeV has been constructed and is now on the way to being brazed. An agreement has been set up with e2v (Chelmsford, UK) in order to carry out high power testing with a 4 MW magnetron/modulator. Acceleration tests will then be performed at LNS-Catania using the 30 MeV proton beam from the Superconducting Cyclotron. The second module, which is currently under construction, will be placed downstream from the first one and driven by a second e2v magnetron/modulator to investigate the magnetron phase locking possibilities.