"Cabinet-safe" study of 1-8 MeV electron accelerators

The development of "cabinet-safe" accelerator technology for approximate to 1-8 MeV electron LINACs would remove the only major barrier to large-scale "field" applications of these accelerators. These applications range from non-destructive evaluation and assay to radiolytic degradation of hazardous waste. All field applications require large forward dose and very little l ateral dose. We investigated the origin, energy, and angular distribution o f unwanted lateral radiation dose from two different electron LINACS at thr ee energies. We report on the contributions of various beam parameters to u nwanted radiation dose and propose methods to control key beam parameters t hat significantly contribute to these doses. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. AII rights reserved.