Magnetron status monitoring

Abstract

This document discloses a high-power device for providing a radio frequency electromagnetic field to a waveguide. The device includes a magnetron configured to provide the radio frequency electromagnetic field to the waveguide and a control unit configured to control the magnetron's output of radio frequency energy to the waveguide. The magnetron includes a high-voltage pulse connector enclosed in a housing, a heater connector configured to allow electrical connectors to penetrate the housing, and a mechanism configured to transmit data between the magnetron and the control unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a high power device for providing a radio frequency electromagnetic field to a waveguide. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a magnetron coupled to a control unit in the high power device, and a method for monitoring a magnetron in the high power device. Background Art

[0002] Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells. It uses a radio frequency (RF) accelerator or a linear particle accelerator (linac) to provide high energy radiation to cancer cells. This high energy radiation is generated by particles accelerated in a particle accelerator under a strong radio frequency field. High power RF is required to generate these radio frequency fields, and high power devices such as high voltage electron tubes are used to generate high peak power. The most common choice of high voltage electron tube is the magnetron, but other electron tubes (such as klystrons) are also suitable.

[0003] Magnetrons are high-cost, specialized components and are subject to a variety of wear mechanisms. Typically, they have a limited lifespan and need to be replaced during the life of a particle accelerator. The cost of a magnetron can be a significant portion of the total cost of ownership of a machine (e.g., a linear accelerator), approximately 10%. The ease with which magnetrons can be replaced means that any given linac may have different magnetrons installed at different points in its lifespan, and any one magnetron may have a history unknown to the system in which it is installed.

[0004] Certain parameters exist that can provide historical data on magnetrons, which in turn can provide predictive data regarding the amount of useful life remaining in the magnetron. However, existing magnetrons lack any mechanism for recording this data, and the origin of magnetrons installed in linacs is not always known. The fact that there is currently no mechanism for traceability and condition monitoring of magnetrons once they are installed in machines such as linacs introduces uncertainty into the operation of machines used in radiotherapy.

[0005] These uncertainties may raise questions such as the following:

[0006] -Magnetrons are replaced when they still have some useful life left.

[0007] - It is not possible to reliably predict the end of life of a magnetron. This in turn can lead to unplanned downtime or the need to stockpile spare magnetrons locally.

[0008] - Magnetrons that are replaced in the field may have been stored in a warehouse or hospital for an indeterminate amount of time. Storage creates further uncertainty because some properties of magnetrons degrade with storage, which can lead to confusion with long-term end-of-life conditions.

[0009] - When a magnetron is returned or sent for repair under warranty, it is difficult to determine the cause of failure of a magnetron of unknown origin.

[0010] - Lack of knowledge of the status of magnetrons installed in equipment makes it difficult for manufacturers to predict the need for replacements on an installed base. This in turn can lead to either undersupply or excess inventory, both of which are undesirable.

[0011] The present disclosure generally relates to high power equipment such as magnetron systems and methods for monitoring magnetrons installed in machines such as linacs.The present disclosure seeks to address the above-mentioned problems and those encountered in determining the amount of useful life remaining in a magnetron. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The present disclosure relates to a high-power device comprising a magnetron and a control unit. Such devices are typically used in linear accelerators (LINACs), machines used in radiotherapy for treating cancer patients. The high-power device of the present disclosure can be used to provide a radiofrequency electromagnetic field to a waveguide in the LINAC. When the magnetron provides the radiofrequency field, the control unit controls the magnetron to output radiofrequency energy. The magnetron typically includes a high-voltage pulse connector enclosed in an electromagnetic compatibility housing and a heater connector or cathode connector that allows electrical connectors to penetrate the housing. The magnetron of the present disclosure also includes a mechanism that allows data to be transmitted between the magnetron and the control unit. This allows the magnetron to be monitored and tracked, making it possible to reliably predict when the magnetron is nearing the end of its life.

[0013] Although providing magnetrons with "tags" or chips (similar to those commonly used in printer cartridges) might be considered a reasonable solution to the problem of magnetron monitoring and tracking, this cannot be achieved in a simple manner due to the high-power, harsh environment in which magnetrons operate. Connecting low-power digital devices such as chips directly to high-power systems can damage the low-power digital devices or cause them to not operate reliably. In addition, in order to meet electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements, the high-voltage pulse connections to the magnetrons are "shielded". For safety reasons, the shielding encloses the dangerous high voltages along with the ground potential. Therefore, when mounted on a magnetron so enclosed, conventional RF tags cannot be read.

[0014] The mechanism provided in the present disclosure for monitoring a magnetron operates by allowing data, typically low-bandwidth data, to be reliably routed from the magnetron's high-voltage environment to a control unit. The mechanism uses three primary, low-cost components: an identification chip mounted on the magnetron and containing data about the magnetron, electronic circuitry configured to read this data, and a communication channel, such as optical fiber, that routes the data from the magnetron's high-voltage pulse connections to the control unit. In this way, the problem of tracking a magnetron within its hostile high-voltage environment is overcome by providing a communication channel that allows data to be routed away from this environment.

[0015] The data recorded on the ID chip includes information about the origin of the magnetron. An advantage of the present disclosure is that the data on the magnetron can also be stored or cross-checked by data in a cloud storage system. Given that the communication channel can operate in a bidirectional manner and can also be used to transmit cloud data or any other data to the ID chip, the cloud data can be written back to the ID chip, or the cloud data can be used to authenticate the data on the ID chip. The ID chip can have information such as a unique serial number, the manufacturer's name, the date of manufacture, the part number, the part revision schedule, or the manufacturer's serial number. Since the data is transmitted over the communication channel, all data can be encrypted by public key encryption, and the unique serial number can form part of the private key. This ensures data security and reduces the chance of cloning the magnetron.

[0016] The electronic circuit for reading the data on the ID chip is installed across the terminals of the cathode connector or the heater connector. This low-power circuit can operate in the high-voltage environment of the magnetron by transferring a small "ghost" power from the cathode connector to the electronic circuit. The cathode connector or the heater connector also provides a data connection between the ID chip and the electronic circuit, enabling the electronic circuit to read data from the ID chip. Therefore, this arrangement avoids the problem of operating low-power digital devices in the high-voltage atmosphere of the magnetron.

[0017] The magnetron also includes a radio frequency (RF) tuner mounted externally to the housing surrounding the high voltage pulse connection. The RF tuner is digitally connected to the control unit. The RF tuner can be connected to the control unit via a tuner driver circuit, which also connects a communication channel to the control unit.

[0018] The magnetron also includes an output RF transition waveguide to output the RF field to the linear accelerator's waveguide. This transition waveguide also includes a seal that provides a dielectric gas to protect the waveguide window. The magnetron also has support mechanisms in the form of water pipes, fittings, and mechanical supports for cooling the high-power equipment.

[0019] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a method for providing traceability and condition monitoring of magnetrons in a high power device using the configuration of the high power device as described above.Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a particle accelerator comprising a high power device according to the above description.

[0020] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that since the terms "high power" and "high voltage" are used in the context of devices providing radio frequency electromagnetic fields, the terms refer to specific voltage ranges and power ranges that are well known in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Specific embodiments are described below by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 An overview of a radiotherapy system is shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A high power device that can be used in a radiotherapy machine is shown, comprising a magnetron and a control unit.

[0024] Figure 3 A high power device is shown in which a magnetron includes a mechanism for monitoring the magnetron.

[0025] Figure 4 An example circuit for use in a mechanism for monitoring a magnetron is shown.

[0026] Overview

[0027] Magnetrons are essential and costly components of particle accelerators, such as the linacs used in radiotherapy. They have a limited lifespan and are often replaced during the lifespan of the linac. There is currently no mechanism for tracking and monitoring magnetrons, which makes it difficult for operators to know when a magnetron is nearing the end of its lifespan. This in turn makes it difficult to predict machine downtime and plan maintenance. As a result, a patient's radiotherapy session may be inappropriately cancelled. Due to the high voltage environment in which magnetrons operate, solutions such as conventional radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on magnetrons cannot be used to address the problems of magnetron status monitoring and traceability. The present invention circumvents these problems and provides a mechanism for tracking and monitoring magnetrons, which increases the reliability of magnetrons and the systems in which they are installed.

[0028] The mechanism uses three low-cost components that route data from the magnetron to the control unit, allowing the data to be read outside the high-voltage environment. These components are: 1) an ID chip with memory, such as an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) mounted on the magnetron; 2) an electronic circuit that is data-connected to the ID chip so that the electronic circuit can read the data on the ID chip. The electronic circuit is mounted across the terminals of the magnetron's heater connector, but it is not connected to any other components in the high-voltage environment. Power to the electronic circuit is provided by "mirrored" power from the connector to the heater's terminals; and 3) a communication channel, such as an optical fiber that is connected to the electronic circuit at one end and to the tuner drive circuit at the other end, thereby connecting the optical fiber to the control unit.

[0029] In this way, the ID chip on the magnetron can record any information about the magnetron, and the electronic circuit of the low-power device can read this data. It can also operate in a high-voltage environment by simply connecting the terminals to the heater connector of the magnetron. The fiber optic connection transmits the data from the magnetron to the control unit. In this way, a mechanism is provided for tracking and monitoring the magnetron. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Radiotherapy machines are essential tools in modern cancer treatment. They are large, complex machines with many moving parts and interoperating mechanisms. Despite precise engineering and rigorous testing, some components of radiotherapy machines may begin to degrade over the machine's lifetime. This can sometimes lead to suboptimal operation and even occasional safety overrides. One key component susceptible to degradation is the magnetron.

[0031] There is currently no conventional mechanism for recording data from magnetrons in systems such as linacs used in radiotherapy. Furthermore, the behavior of the magnetrons during their lifetime is not tracked or recorded. In particular, the conditions to which the magnetrons are exposed or the behavior of the magnetrons is not tracked or analyzed. The lack of the ability to correlate magnetron data with linac data means that a richer source of information is not available. As a result, there is no known way to identify a magnetron that is nearing the end of its operational life. This can be particularly problematic when a magnetron is replaced within a facility and the origin of the magnetron is unknown.

[0032] The absence of a mechanism for recording information on and monitoring the magnetrons can have undesirable consequences. Without the ability to predict the end of life of magnetrons, magnetrons may be replaced while they are still functional. This, of course, has economic disadvantages for the owner of the radiotherapy equipment. Manufacturers are also at a disadvantage because they cannot predict the demand for magnetrons, which can lead to shortages or overstocking. The inability to predict the end of life of magnetrons can also lead to unplanned downtime, which can cause uncertainty for both the owner and the patient. Furthermore, spare magnetrons that have been in storage for a long time may prove to have a shorter life than expected, which can create further uncertainty.

[0033] The present application attempts to overcome these problems by providing a device capable of recording information related to a magnetron and a method for using the recorded information to monitor the status of the magnetron. The disclosed device and method are advantageous because they allow manufacturers or maintenance service providers to predict the end of life of a magnetron, thereby facilitating timely maintenance, replacement, and manufacture of the magnetron. The disclosed method helps reduce unplanned downtime and thus minimizes disruption to the normal operation of the machine. The disclosed device also facilitates a more accurate assessment of the cause of a failure when a magnetron is sent for repair. This, in turn, provides manufacturers with the necessary feedback to implement improvements to the magnetron.

[0034] Figure 1 A high-level overview of a particle accelerator (e.g., one used in radiotherapy) is shown. The device is a linear accelerator (LINAC) 110, which includes an electron source 112, a waveguide 114, and a target 116. Electrons are emitted from the source 112 and accelerated by the waveguide 114 along an acceleration path consistent with the central axis of the waveguide. A magnet 122 is used to bend the electron beam 118, and the electron beam strikes the target 116 to produce an X-ray beam 120. The X-ray beam 120 is used to treat patients. The LINAC 110 also includes a magnetron 124, which generates radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves 126 to accelerate charged particles along the acceleration path to high energies. The electron beam 118 can be used to directly treat the patient, or it can be directed toward the target 116, which produces high-energy X-rays 120.

[0035] The electron source 112 can be an electron gun. The electron source is configured to inject electrons into the waveguide 114. The waveguide 114 includes a plurality of interconnected acceleration cavities (not shown) that form a channel through which the electron beam passes. The injection of electrons into the waveguide 114 is synchronized with the delivery of RF waves 126 into the waveguide 114. The design and operation of the magnetron 124, the electron source 112, and the waveguide 114 are such that as the electrons propagate down the acceleration path 118 through the waveguide 114, the RF waves 126 accelerate the electrons to very high energies. The waveguide is designed to generate an appropriate electric field pattern that accelerates the electrons propagating through the waveguide 114.

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the device 200 shows a magnetron 124 and its connection to the linac's control unit 230. The components of the magnetron 124 are drawn as distinct entities, and connections are not necessarily shown to simplify their representation. The manner in which the various components are connected and their functions are described in detail in the following paragraphs. The magnetron includes a high-voltage connector 210, which is enclosed in an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shield 222 to comply with EMC requirements. For safety reasons, this shields the dangerously high voltages along with ground potential. The magnetron also includes a heater or cathode 214. One way to allow electrical connections to penetrate the interior of the housing 222 is to provide a cathode connector 212b and a heater connector 212a within the high-voltage connector 210, but other alternative arrangements are possible. The cathode 214 is housed within a vacuum chamber 232—this is not visible in the figure because it is surrounded by high-voltage insulation. The vacuum chamber is made of copper and ceramic components that extend from just below the high-voltage insulator (usually a plastic cover) to an RF ceramic window (not visible because it is inside the magnetron base). The vacuum chamber is coupled to a magnet 216 that provides the magnetic field. This magnet can be an electromagnet or a permanent magnet. A transition waveguide 220 outputs the RF field. The magnetron also includes an RF tuner 228, which is mounted on the outside of the housing 222 and digitally connected to a control unit 230. The control unit 230 also controls the linac. The magnetron also includes water pipe fittings for cooling and mechanical supports (not shown).

[0037] Now refer to Figure 2 The operation of the magnetron 124 is described. In the magnetron 124, a high voltage connector 210 provides a high negative potential to the cathode 214 in very short pulses. This is in contrast to the power provided to the heater, which is provided continuously at a much lower voltage (typically less than 20V). The cathode 214, which emits electrons, is placed within a vacuum chamber 232. The chamber includes cavities (not shown) around its outer edge so that as the electrons spiral outward in a circular path under the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 216, they sweep through these cavities. The cavities act as resonators, causing a resonant RF field to be induced in the cavity. This RF field is then output through the transition waveguide 220. The magnetron tuner 228 is used to tune the resonant frequency of the magnetron 124.

[0038] The control unit 230 of the device 200 also controls other components of the linear accelerator 100. Controlling the other components may include controlling the electron gun 112 to feed electrons to the waveguide 114, controlling a gantry (not shown) to rotate according to the patient's treatment plan to provide an angle for delivering radiation to the patient, and controlling a collimator (not shown), such as a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), to collimate the beam 120 according to the treatment plan.

[0039] Figure 3 An advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, which provides a mechanism for integrating the necessary interfaces to enable recording of information about the magnetron 124 and monitoring of the magnetron. The mechanism is configured to transmit data between the magnetron 124 and the control unit 230. The mechanism includes an identification (ID) chip 310 mounted on the magnetron 124, an electronic circuit 312 mounted across the terminals of the heater connector 212a, and a communication channel 314, such as an optical fiber, connected between the magnetron 124 and the tuner driver circuit 232, which in turn is connected to the control unit 230. A data connection (not shown) also exists between the electronic circuit 312 and the ID chip 310.

[0040] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present invention, the ID chip 310 is configured to record data related to the magnetron 124. The data can be, for example, a unique serial number, and / or additional information about the magnetron, such as the manufacturer, manufacturing date, part number, part modification date, manufacturer serial number, etc. The electronic circuit 312 (which is a low voltage device) is installed across the heater connector 212a and is configured to read data from the ID chip 310. Given that the cathode connector 212b is a high voltage terminal, there are no electrical connections to the electronic device circuit board 312 other than the two heater connectors and the data connection to the ID chip 310. The electronic device circuit board 312 is powered by transferring a small amount of electricity from the heater connector 212a to the circuit board 312. A communication channel 314, such as an optical fiber, is configured to route data from the electronic circuit 312 to the tuner drive circuit 232, which is connected to the control unit 230. In this way, data is routed from the high voltage region of the magnetron 124 to the control unit 230 where it can be easily read to provide information about the magnetron 124. Alternatively, the electronic circuit 312 may be incorporated into the magnetron 124, of which the ID chip 310 may be a part.

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing how the ID chip 310, electronic circuit board 312, and fiber optic channel 314 are connected is shown. As shown in the figure, the electronic circuit board 312 draws power from the heater connector 212a and includes a microcontroller and a sensor array. The circuit board 312 is arranged to read data from the ID chip 310, which in turn includes an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and information such as the device serial number. Data can be recorded on and transferred from the EEPROM. The electronic circuit board is also connected to the fiber optic channel 314, which then transmits the data to the control unit 230.

[0042] therefore, Figure 3 Advantageous embodiments provide a device for recording information related to magnetrons, thereby enabling magnetron traceability and monitoring. In this way, small, low-cost components are utilized to record data about the magnetrons, read this data, and transmit it from the magnetron's high-voltage environment to the linac's control unit. The data from the magnetrons read by the magnetron tuner driver circuit 232 provides valuable information about the magnetron's origin. This information enables manufacturing to reliably predict the end of life of the magnetrons, which in turn reduces unplanned downtime. This information also reduces the need for local inventory of magnetrons or the use of magnetrons with long storage lives. This data can also provide information about previous failures in the magnetrons, making it easier to determine the cause of future failures with confidence. This data is also useful for manufacturers because it provides a global understanding of the status of installed magnetrons, which in turn enables planning that can predict the need for future magnetron replacements. This reduces the risk of understocking or overstocking of magnetrons.

[0043] The data transmitted via communication channel 314 is low-bandwidth data and can be transmitted using optical fiber. The maximum amount of data transmitted is less than the maximum capacity of the ID chip's memory, and low-bandwidth data is typically on the order of a few kilobits per second, typically less than 3,000 bits per second. This means that the data can easily fit into a 19200K Baud serial channel. The bandwidth can be even lower, as, for example, the manufacturer's serial number and unique serial number can be sent at a much lower frequency, but sending all the data together makes the design easier. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, communication channel 314 can be bidirectional to allow data to be written back to the ID chip 310. This is accomplished using the tuner driver circuit 232, which can be configured to send data back to the ID chip 310 via communication channel 314. This data uniquely identifies the magnetron 124 and can be stored on the ID chip 310. The unique identification feature of the magnetron 124 can also be used as a key for data stored elsewhere. The stored data may relate to information such as the number of hours the magnetron has been operating at high or low tension, the ID of the linac and the date the magnetron was installed. An important feature of the stored data is that some of the data is linked to the magnetron and some of the data is linked to the linac. When the two sets of data (related to the magnetron and the linac) are linked, the data becomes more valuable. For example, if the linac 100 detects that the chip 310 of the magnetron has been changed, the system knows that a new magnetron has been installed and can record this information. If connected to a cloud service, the system is able to verify that the magnetron 124 is new and record other information, such as the credentials of the installation engineer. In this way, the magnetron data can be updated regularly, which further facilitates condition monitoring and traceability of the magnetron.

[0044] The ID chip 310 includes an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), on which data can be recorded and transmitted. The EEPROM can be encrypted using public key encryption to ensure data security. In this way, the ability to clone is limited using a unique serial number as part of the private key. Additional useful data such as local temperature can be transmitted back via the communication channel 314 and recorded on the ID chip 310.

[0045] In addition to providing a mechanism for monitoring a magnetron, the present disclosure also provides a method for tracking and adjusting the magnetron using this mechanism. In this method, data related to the magnetron is recorded on an ID chip, which is then placed on the magnetron. This data is then read by an electronic circuit and transmitted from the electronic circuit to a control unit external to the magnetron using a communication channel such as optical fiber. The magnetron is then monitored based on this data.

[0046] The data may be related to data stored on the magnetron or in a cloud-based repository. For example, the data may be a unique serial number, the manufacturer's name, the date of manufacture, a part number, a part revision schedule, or a manufacturer's serial number. To ensure data security, the data may be encrypted using public key cryptography, and the unique serial number may form part of the private key.

[0047] The high power devices described in this disclosure may be used in conjunction with accelerating waveguides in particle accelerators, such as those used in radiation therapy.

[0048] Features of the above aspects may be combined in any suitable manner. It should be understood that the above description is only by way of specific example of the aspects and that many modifications and variations will be within the scope of those skilled in the art and are intended to be covered by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A high power device for providing a radio frequency electromagnetic field to a waveguide, the device comprising: a magnetron configured to provide a radio frequency electromagnetic field to the waveguide; and a control unit configured to control the magnetron to output radio frequency energy to the waveguide, wherein: The magnetron includes: a high voltage pulse connection member enclosed in the housing; a heater connector configured to allow an electrical connector to penetrate the housing; and a mechanism configured to transmit data between the magnetron and the control unit; The institutions mentioned include: an identification chip configured to include the data, wherein the data is data about the magnetron; an electronic circuit configured to read the data on the identification chip; and, A communication channel is configured to route the data from the high voltage pulse connection to the control unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The device also includes at least one of data stored on the high-power device or data stored on a cloud-based repository, wherein the stored data includes a history of the magnetron.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein The communication channel is a fiber optic connection.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The electronic circuit is mounted across terminals of the heater connector, and wherein the heater connector is configured to provide power to the electronic circuit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The heater connector provides a connection between the electronic circuit and the identification chip.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The housing includes an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shield.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The data is low bandwidth data.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The fiber optic connection is further configured to allow data transmission from the control unit to the high voltage pulse connection.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The data includes at least one of: a unique serial number; a manufacturer's name; a date of manufacture; a part number; a part revision schedule; and a manufacturer's serial number.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein The data is encrypted via public key encryption, and wherein the unique serial number is part of a private key.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The magnetron further comprises at least one of: a permanent magnet; an electromagnet.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The magnetron further includes a radio frequency tuner, wherein the radio frequency tuner is mounted on the outside of the housing and is digitally connected to the control unit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The magnetron further comprises a radio frequency tuner, wherein the radio frequency tuner is mounted on the outside of the housing and is digitally connected to the control unit via a tuner drive circuit, and wherein the fiber optic connection is connected to the control unit via the tuner drive circuit.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The magnetron further includes an output RF transition waveguide and an RF transition waveguide seal, wherein the output RF transition waveguide is used to output the RF field to the waveguide, wherein the RF transition waveguide seal provides a dielectric gas for protecting a window of the waveguide.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The magnetron also includes water pipe coupling accessories for cooling.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The magnetron also includes a mechanical support.

17. A method of providing traceability and condition monitoring of a magnetron in a high power device, the method comprising: recording data related to the magnetron on an identification chip, wherein the identification chip is placed on the magnetron; reading the data by an electronic circuit; transmitting the data to a control unit in the high-power device; and Based on the data, the status of the magnetron is monitored.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein The method also includes associating the data with at least one of data stored on the high-power device or data stored on a cloud-based repository, wherein the stored data includes a history of the magnetron.

19. The method according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein The data includes at least one of: a unique serial number; a manufacturer's name; a date of manufacture; a part number; a part revision schedule; and a manufacturer's serial number.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The data is encrypted via public key encryption, and wherein the unique serial number is part of a private key.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein Transmitting said data is performed using optical fibers.

22. A particle accelerator comprising: a waveguide for accelerating charged particles along an acceleration path; and A high power device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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