Beam Shutters
Beam shutters are physical barriers that can be opened or closed to control the flow of a particle or optics beam, acting as a gate to block or allow the beam to reach a specific area. Beam shutters are typically made of a dense material, such as lead, and are primarily used for safety reasons to prevent radiation exposure in an occupied experimental area or to isolate different sections of the accelerator during maintenance or setup.
Safety and Location:
One major purpose of a beam shutter is to protect personnel from radiation by blocking the particle beam when necessary, especially in experimental areas. Beam shutters are strategically placed in the beamline, typically between the accelerator and the experimental area, or within the beamline itself.
Operation and Interlocking Systems:
Beam shutters can be controlled remotely and can be rapidly opened or closed to precisely regulate the beam exposure. They are often integrated with safety interlocks that automatically close the shutter if an unexpected or unauthorized access is detected in the experimental area.
Xelera Research LLC has extensive experience designing and manufacturing custom beam shutters for a wide range of beam power requirements, physical space limitations, and other use-case scenarios. We can make beam shutters for any particle type (x-rays, electrons, ions, etc.) and either cooled (incorporated water-cooling circuit) or uncooled. We can perform all needed radiation calculations for your application.
Contact us to discuss your needs and learn more.
Example dose rate calculation: 400 MeV electron beam on a 1 Xm, 2 X0 cylinder of 304 SS