UniBEaM is a particle beam profiling system - similar to a wire scanner except an optical sensor fiber is used instead of a metal wire. Ø50 µm to 400 µm sensing fibers scintillate in the visible spectrum as they pass through the beam.  The scintillation light is transmitted through the short sensor fiber into a standard multimode optical fiber, which transmits the light long distances with minimal attenuation and no electromagnetic susceptibility.   The light is converted by a high-sensitivity photo sensor located in the UniBEaM controller, amplified, digitized, and displayed on a monitor. UniBEaM was conceived by the AEC-LHEP  of the University of Bern and commercialized by D-Pace.

The system is a standalone device, requiring only the addition of a monitor and keyboard.  A TCP/IP text-based command set is in development. This will allow UniBEaM to be used as a slave device to a higher-level controller or to interface with EPICS over Ethernet.

The probes are very compact, and require as little as 70 mm along the beam axis for the dual axis scanner. X and Y scans can be conducted individually or concurrently.  UniBEaM offers significant advantages over conventional wire scanners.

Licensed by D-Pace from AEC-LHEP University of Bern.

D-Pace is offering a limited number of UniBEaM particle beam profiling systems at a highly discounted price for an Early Adopter Program (EAP). The EAP is open to participants exploring new applications, novel tuning methods, particle types, beam energies and currents in exchange for data sharing on device usage and performance. D-Pace is currently searching for an EAP partner in the ion implanter market.

• Measures beams from keV to GeV and pA to mA depending on the power density deposited
• Maximum beam diameter 25 mm
• Maximum Beam energy density 10 W/cm²
• No vacuum box required
• Insertion length of just 70 mm
• Scintillating sensor fibers
• Dual X & Y axis profiles
• In-plane scanning
• Radiation resistant – no electronics in the probe
• Low electromagnetic susceptibility
• Complete turnkey system

Mounting Options:

D-Pace offers the following beamline mounting options for UniBEaM:

1) Direct Mount KF40 Option.  D-Pace provides two sets of aluminum KF40 bulkhead clamps (QF40-150-BC or similar) and two aluminum / Buna-N centering rings (QF40-150-ARB or similar). The bulkhead clamp screws thread directly into M4 stainless steel inserts in the aluminum vacuum box of UniBEaM25. This mounting option requires 70 mm in the beam axis plus clearance for the centering ring. (See )

2) Quick Clamp KF40 Option.  D-Pace provides two sets of aluminum KF40 quick clamps (QF40-150-C or similar) and two aluminum / Buna-N centering rings (QF40-150-ARB or similar). The quick clamp interfaces with a KF40 flange mounted on the UniBEaM25. This mounting option allows UniBEam to be installed and removed from the beamline quickly, but requires 98 mm in the beam axis plus clearance for the centering ring. (See )

3) CF40 Option.  D-Pace provides the UniBEaM probe with CF40 flanges (outside diameter 70mm (2-3/4")).  This option requires an insertion length of 92 mm in the beam axis.  (See )

Product Animations:

1. Animation of Dual Axis Scan
2. Video, Beam Scan, 18MeV 1nA Proton, Fiber Ce1-200

UniBEaM Software:

The user controls the scan start and end positions, position resolution and scan speed. Single or continuous scans can be acquired. Each pass of the fiber can be displayed separately, or overlain in persistent display mode. The fiber scanning speed is adjustable to a maximum speed of 18 mm/sec.  A delay period can be entered which pauses the fiber at the extents at its travel to allow the fiber too cool between passes through the beam. Slowing the scanning speed enables greater signal averaging for improving the signal-to-noise ratio of low beam currents. The software also calculates the beam position based on first moments and the integral of the profile. Profiles are saved in a CSV format file along with software parameters and user comment fields.  

The software also has a fixed position mode, which enables the operator to move the fiber to a fixed position, and the software will plot the beam intensity versus time at this position. The plot format is a strip chart, where the chart window period can be set by the operator.  Sampling rates up to 1000 Hz are achievable in this mode.

The following is a link to a Bachelor Thesis entitled “Study of a novel compact beam line at a medical cyclotron”, which was authored by Diana Wüthrich, and performed at the Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Laboratory for High Energy Physics, University of Bern, under the supervision of Dr. Saverio Braccini. This thesis describes testing conducted on D-Pace’s MiniPET beamline, including the use of the UniBEaM beam profiler to verify beam tunes.

Bachelor_Thesis_D_Wuethrich_final_26082016.pdf

UniBEaM Customers

The Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), Switzerland	University of Bern Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics
Australian National University Department of Nuclear Physics See their virtual tour here:  https://science.anu.edu.au/study/virtual-tour	University of Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory