Beam Stops
A beam stop is an essential component of an accelerator system which is designed to safely stop and absorb a particle or photon beam. Beam stops, also known as beam dumps, protect equipment and personnel by effectively "dumping" the beam power into a designated area. Beam stops are used in particle accelerators, X-ray machines, laser systems, and anywhere high-energy beams need to be safely terminated.
Important design considerations for a beam stop include the following:
Material selection: The material used in a beam stop must be able to effectively absorb the power of the beam without overheating or degrading too rapidly. It must also be selected to adequately absorb the radiation produced.
Beam size and profile: The stop must be sized and shaped to match the expected beam size and distribution for optimal absorption.
Heat dissipation: The beam stop must be designed to effectively dissipate heat that accumulates as a result of the energy deposited by the beam.
Radiation: The design must account for radio-activation of the material, and an assessment of the required radiation shielding must be performed.
Xelera Research LLC has extensive experience building beam stops for particle beams up to 600 kW.
Air or water cooling are possible, depending on your preference.
The beam stops can be designed to be floating and isolated from the beamline in order to provide current monitoring.
Radiation shielding is optimized for size, weight, and cost, as much as possible.
Whatever your requirements, including if you need higher power, we will work with you to develop a custom a design to meet your needs. Contact us to learn more.
Example images from a 50 MeV, 1 uA electron beam shielded beam stop design