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Double multiturn injection scheme for generating mixed helium and carbon ion beams at medical synchrotron facilities

Matthias Kausel1,2,*, Claus Schmitzer1, Andreas Gsponer3,2, Markus Wolf1, Hermann Fuchs4, Felix Ulrich-Pur5, Thomas Bergauer3, Albert Hirtl2, Nadia Gambino1 et al.

Elisabeth Renner2

  • *Contact author: matthias.kausel@medaustron.at.
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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 28, 111001 – Published 19 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/t3b5-1xb6

Abstract

The low relative charge-to-mass ratio offset of 0.065% between fully ionized helium-4 and carbon-12 ions enables simultaneous acceleration in hadron therapy synchrotrons. At the same energy per mass, helium ions exhibit a stopping range approximately 3 times greater than carbon ions. They can therefore be exploited for online range verification downstream of the patient during carbon ion beam irradiation. One possibility for creating this mixed beam is accelerating the two ion species sequentially through the LINAC and subsequently “mixing” them at injection energy in the synchrotron with a double multiturn injection scheme. This work reports the first successful generation, acceleration, and extraction of a mixed helium and carbon ion beam using this double multiturn injection scheme, which was achieved at the MedAustron therapy accelerator in Austria. A description of the double multiturn injection scheme, particle tracking simulations, and details on the implementation at the MedAustron accelerator facility are presented and discussed. Finally, measurements of the mixed beam at delivery in the irradiation room using a radiochromic film and a low-gain avalanche diode detector are presented.

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Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 28, 111001– Published 19 November, 2025
  • Received 23 January 2025
  • Accepted 10 October 2025
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