A stable isotope separator ion source exit opening angle measuring device

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of ion source outlet angle measurement technology, and specifically relates to a device for measuring the outlet angle of a stable isotope separator ion source. The device includes a blind plate, with a first probe assembly and a second probe assembly mounted on the side wall of the blind plate. The first probe assembly includes a first housing, with a drive motor mounted on the side of the first housing. The output shaft of the drive motor is connected to a ball screw, and a first slide is threaded onto the surface of the ball screw. A first bellows pressure block is mounted on the first slide. This invention, by setting up the first and second probe assemblies and with a simple overall mechanical structure, achieves lower production costs while meeting functional requirements. Furthermore, the vacuum transition from high to low vacuum is more stable, reducing maintenance frequency and better ensuring the production capacity of stable isotopes, thus better meeting market demand for stable isotopes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ion source outlet angle measurement technology, and specifically relates to a device for measuring the outlet angle of a stable isotope separator ion source. Background Technology

[0002] In the periodic table, isotopes of elements with the same atomic number, different atomic masses, essentially the same chemical properties, and a half-life greater than 10¹⁵ years are called stable isotopes. The applications of stable isotopes have expanded to all aspects of human activity, including basic science, medicine, biology, earth science, agriculture, ecology, and new materials production, and are closely related to my country's strategic needs in high-tech fields such as space navigation, quantum sensing, nuclear batteries, and nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment. In particular, high-abundance isotopes such as rubidium-85, rubidium-87, nickel-62, nickel-64, and ytterbium-174 play crucial roles in high-tech fields such as space navigation, quantum detection, nuclear batteries, and nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment. High-abundance stable isotopes play a vital role directly as core materials or as essential precursors to core materials, with the largest application rate in the field of nuclear medicine.

[0003] Currently, over 90% of the world's produced radioactive isotopes are used in nuclear medicine. Their sources primarily include nuclear reactor production, accelerator production, and extraction from nuclear fuel reprocessing waste. High-abundance stable isotopes can serve as precursors for radiolabeled drugs, produced through reactor irradiation or accelerator irradiation. To meet the application requirements of radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine, the stable isotopes required for their precursor materials must have extremely high abundance and purity, and high requirements are also placed on the content of other isotopes. Given the rapid development of nuclear medicine, the demand for high-abundance stable isotopes for novel nuclides is attracting significant attention and is increasing daily.

[0004] Among all stable isotope separation methods, electromagnetic separation can separate virtually all isotopes. The main advantages of isotope electromagnetic separation are: high versatility, applicable to the separation of isotopes of almost all multi-nucleon elements; high flexibility, allowing for changes in the separation target within days; high separation coefficient, with single-stage separation reaching hundreds or more; low feed retention, handling mg-level substances; and short equilibration time, enabling the collection and concentration of isotope products to begin within hours of startup. Isotope electromagnetic separation is well-suited to the needs for high abundance, variety, and small quantities of stable isotopes, making it the only feasible method for obtaining multiple isotopes such as Rb, K, Gd, Ca, Cu, Sb, Er, and Yb.

[0005] The current domestically produced stable isotope electromagnetic separators for export have complex structures and high production costs. The vacuum structure uses a rotary dynamic seal structure, which has poor sealing performance and requires frequent maintenance, seriously affecting the production capacity of stable isotope electromagnetic separators.

[0006] To solve the above problems, it is necessary to design a device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the above problems, the present invention provides a device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator. The device includes a blind plate, and the sidewall of the blind plate is provided with a first probe assembly and a second probe assembly.

[0008] The first probe assembly includes a first housing, a drive motor is provided on the side of the first housing, the output shaft of the drive motor is connected to a ball screw, a first slide is threaded onto the surface of the ball screw, a first bellows pressure block is provided on the first slide, a first target rod is provided on the side of the first bellows pressure block away from the drive motor, one end of the first target rod extends out of the first housing and is connected to a first probe target head, the first probe target head is provided with a plurality of small Faraday cylinders; a first bellows is provided inside the first housing, one end of the first bellows is connected to the first bellows pressure block, and the first target rod passes through the first bellows;

[0009] The second component includes a second housing, a cylinder is provided on the side wall of the second housing, the telescopic end of the cylinder extends into the second housing and is connected to a second slide, a second target rod is provided on the side of the second slide, the end of the second target rod extends out of the second housing and is connected to a large Faraday plate; a second bellows is provided inside the second housing, one end of the second bellows is connected to the second slide, and the second target rod passes through the second bellows.

[0010] Preferably, the inner bottom of the first housing is provided with a first slide rail, and the first slide table is slidably sleeved on the first slide rail.

[0011] Preferably, the upper side of the first slide table is provided with a first flange, the first bellows is connected to the first flange via a first bellows pressure block, and the first flange is provided with an airtight joint.

[0012] Preferably, the side of the first housing is provided with a first fixing frame and a second fixing frame, the drive motor is mounted on the first fixing frame, and the second fixing frame is provided with a pull wire electronic ruler.

[0013] Preferably, the first target rod passes through the first bellows, and the left end of the first target rod is fixedly connected to the first flange.

[0014] Preferably, the airtight connector is signal-connected to multiple small Faraday cylinders, the multiple small Faraday cylinders are equally spaced, the sidewalls of the multiple small Faraday cylinders are provided with boron nitride insulating sleeves, and the multiple small Faraday cylinders have a bottom plate, and the bottom plate is a graphite plate.

[0015] Preferably, the side wall of the first probe head is fitted with an aluminum alloy shielding shell.

[0016] Preferably, both the first and second outer shells are vacuum spaces.

[0017] Preferably, the inner bottom of the second housing is provided with a second slide rail, the second slide table is slidably sleeved on the second slide rail, and the telescopic end of the cylinder is connected to the second slide table via a connector.

[0018] Preferably, the side of the connector is provided with a water-cooled block, which is connected to the second corrugated pipe pressure block via a second flange.

[0019] Preferably, the large Faraday plate is provided with a water tank, and a cooling water pipe is connected to the inlet of the water tank.

[0020] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) The present invention sets up a first probe assembly and a second probe assembly, and the overall mechanical structure is simple. While meeting the functional requirements, the production cost is low. At the same time, the vacuum-transfer structure from high vacuum to low vacuum is more stable, reducing the maintenance frequency, better ensuring the production capacity of stable isotopes, and better meeting the market demand for stable isotopes.

[0022] (2) The overall vacuum structure in this invention is simpler and more reliable, reduces maintenance frequency, and reduces vacuum leakage caused by unreliable rotary sealing structure, thereby reducing the problem of declining annual production of stable isotopes;

[0023] (3) In this invention, the second probe assembly adopts an integral large Faraday plate structure which is better. The cylinder is used to drive the large Faraday plate to move back and forth, thereby reaching the stop position. The motion mechanism is simpler and more reliable.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures pointed out in the description and the drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1This diagram illustrates a device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the structure of the first probe assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of the second probe assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Drive motor; 2. First fixed frame; 3. Second fixed frame; 4. Wire-operated electronic ruler; 5. Airtight joint; 6. First flange; 7. First bellows pressure block; 8. First bellows; 9. First slide table; 10. Ball screw; 11. Blind flange; 12. First outer shell; 13. First target rod; 14. First probe target head; 15. Small Faraday cylinder; 16. Second outer shell; 17. Cylinder; 18. Connector; 19. Water-cooled block; 20. Second flange; 21. Second bellows pressure block; 22. Second bellows; 23. Second target rod; 24. Large Faraday plate; 25. Second slide table; 26. Second slide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, this invention proposes a device for measuring the beam angle at the ion source outlet of a stable isotope separator. This device is installed on the side of the vacuum chamber of the isotope separator. The device includes a blind plate 11, and a first probe assembly and a second probe assembly are provided on the side wall of the blind plate 11. In this embodiment, the first probe assembly is installed on the side wall of the vacuum chamber of the stable isotope separator, near the ion source outlet. The first probe assembly can measure the beam spatial distribution to obtain the beam angle at the ion source outlet. The second probe assembly is installed on the side wall of the stable isotope vacuum chamber, positioned behind the first probe assembly. The second probe assembly can measure an area covering the entire beam area.

[0032] like Figure 2As shown, the first probe assembly includes a first housing 12. A first fixing frame 2 and a second fixing frame 3 are provided on the side of the first housing 12. A wire-operated electronic ruler 4 is provided on the second fixing frame 3. The telescopic end of the wire-operated electronic ruler 4 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the first slide table 9, used to measure the position of the first probe target head 14. A drive motor 1 is provided on the side of the first housing 12. In this embodiment, the drive motor 1 can be braked to overcome the suction force of the vacuum negative pressure and prevent the first slide table 9 from being sucked into the vacuum chamber due to the vacuum negative pressure. The drive motor 1 is mounted on the first fixing frame 2. The output shaft of the drive motor 1 is connected to a ball screw 10. The surface of the ball screw 10 is threadedly connected to the first slide table 9. In this embodiment, the beam angle of the electromagnetic separator is 18°, so the travel distance of the first slide table 9 is 350mm. The first outer shell 12 has a first slide rail at its inner bottom. The first slide table 9 is slidably fitted onto the first slide rail. The upper side of the first slide table 9 has a first flange 6. The first bellows 8 is connected to the first flange 6 via a first bellows clamping block 7. The first flange 6 has an airtight connector 5. The signal from the airtight connector 5 is led out to an external beam meter, allowing direct observation of the beam strength. In this embodiment, the airtight connector 5 is an eight-core airtight connector. In this embodiment, the first bellows 8 has a vacuum-passing structure. The first slide table 9 has a first bellows clamping block 7. A first target rod 13 is located on the side of the first bellows clamping block 7 away from the drive motor 1. One end of the first target rod 13 extends out of the first outer shell 12 and is connected to a first probe target head 14. In this embodiment, the first probe target head 14 is 220mm long, which can completely cover the beam area. The sidewall of the first probe target head 14 is fitted with an aluminum alloy shielding shell to prevent interference with the measurement signal. The first probe head 14 is provided with multiple small Faraday cylinders 15, with an adjacent small Faraday cylinder 15 spaced 30mm apart. In this embodiment, the diameter of each small Faraday cylinder 15 is 15mm, and the diameter of the small Faraday cylinder 15 can be set according to actual conditions. The airtight connector 5 is connected to the multiple small Faraday cylinders 15 for signal connection. Specifically, each of the multiple small Faraday cylinders 15 has a signal wire welded to its base. Multiple signal wires pass through the first target rod 13 and are welded to the airtight connector 5. The multiple small Faraday cylinders 15 are evenly spaced. Each of the multiple small Faraday cylinders 15 has a boron nitride insulating sleeve on its sidewall. Each of the multiple small Faraday cylinders 15 has a base plate, and the base plate is a graphite plate, used to receive the beam and dissipate heat. The first outer shell 12 is provided with a first corrugated pipe 8. One end of the first corrugated pipe 8 is connected to the first corrugated pipe pressure block 7. The first target rod 13 passes through the first corrugated pipe 8, and the left end of the first target rod 13 is fixedly connected to the first flange 6.

[0033] like Figure 3As shown, the second component includes a second housing 16. The interiors of the first housing 12 and the second housing 16 are both vacuum spaces. A cylinder 17 is provided on the side wall of the second housing 16. The telescopic end of the cylinder 17 extends into the second housing 16 and is connected to a second slide 25. A second slide rail 26 is provided at the inner bottom of the second housing 16. The second slide 25 is slidably sleeved on the second slide rail 26. In this embodiment, the travel distance of the second slide 25 is 450mm. The telescopic end of the cylinder 17 is connected to the second slide 25 via a connector 18. A water-cooled block 19 is provided on the side of the connector 18. The water-cooled block 19 is connected to the second bellows pressure block 21 via a second flange 20. A second target rod 23 is provided on the side of the second slide 25. The end of the second target rod 23 extends out of the second outer shell 16 and is connected to a large Faraday plate 24. The large Faraday plate 24 can withstand a 50mA beam current. The large Faraday plate 24 has dimensions of 300x200mm and can fully withstand the ion source outlet beam. A water tank is provided on the large Faraday plate 24, and a cooling water pipe is connected to the inlet of the water tank. A second bellows 22 is provided inside the second outer shell 16. One end of the second bellows 22 is connected to the second slide 25, and the second target rod 23 passes through the second bellows 22. In this embodiment, the second bellows 22 has a vacuum structure.

[0034] When using this device, the drive motor 1 is powered on, the output shaft of the drive motor 1 rotates and drives the ball screw 10 to rotate, thereby driving the first slide 9 to move to the right. The first slide 9 compresses the first bellows 8 and simultaneously drives the first target rod 13 to move to the right, thereby driving the first probe target head 14 to move to the right. The first probe target head 14 reciprocates in the vicinity of ±150mm with the ion source outlet as the center line. The small Faraday tube 15 receives the beam and measures the beam distribution, thereby calculating the beam angle.

[0035] When cylinder 17 is ventilated, the extension rod of cylinder 17 pushes the connector 18, thereby moving the second slide 25, which in turn moves the second target rod 23, which in turn moves the large Faraday plate 24, so that the center of the large Faraday plate 24 reaches the center line of the ion source outlet. This position is the working position, which can receive the entire beam. The theoretical maximum current intensity that can be measured is 50mA. At the same time, water is circulated in the water cooling circuit on the large Faraday plate 24, which can achieve heat dissipation of the large Faraday plate 24.

[0036] Those skilled in the art should understand that, despite the detailed description of the present invention with reference to the foregoing embodiments, modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stable isotope separator ion source exit opening angle measuring device characterized by, The device includes a blind plate (11), and the side wall of the blind plate (11) is provided with a first probe assembly and a second probe assembly; The first probe assembly includes a first housing (12), a drive motor (1) is provided on the side of the first housing (12), the output shaft of the drive motor (1) is connected to a ball screw (10), the surface of the ball screw (10) is threaded with a first slide (9), the inner bottom of the first housing (12) is provided with a first slide rail, the first slide (9) is slidably sleeved on the first slide rail, the first slide (9) is provided with a first bellows pressure block (7), the side of the first bellows pressure block (7) away from the drive motor (1) is provided with a first target rod (13), one end of the first target rod (13) extends out of the first housing (12) and is connected to a first probe target head (14), the first probe target head (14) is provided with multiple small farads. The first outer shell (12) is provided with a first corrugated pipe (8) inside. One end of the first corrugated pipe (8) is connected to the first corrugated pipe pressure block (7). The first target rod (13) passes through the first corrugated pipe (8). The upper side of the first slide table (9) is provided with a first flange (6). The first corrugated pipe (8) is connected to the first flange (6) through the first corrugated pipe pressure block (7). The first flange (6) is provided with an airtight connector (5). The airtight connector (5) is connected to multiple small Faraday cylinders (15) by signal. The multiple small Faraday cylinders (15) are distributed at equal intervals. The side walls of the multiple small Faraday cylinders (15) are provided with boron nitride insulating sleeves. The multiple small Faraday cylinders (15) have a bottom plate and the bottom plates are all graphite plates. The second probe assembly includes a second housing (16), a cylinder (17) is provided on the side wall of the second housing (16), the telescopic end of the cylinder (17) extends into the second housing (16) and is connected to a second slide (25), a second slide rail (26) is provided at the bottom of the inner side of the second housing (16), the second slide (25) is slidably sleeved on the second slide rail (26), the telescopic end of the cylinder (17) is connected to the second slide (25) via a connector (18), a second target rod (23) is provided on the side of the second slide (25), the end of the second target rod (23) extends out of the second housing (16) and is connected to a large Faraday plate (24); a second corrugated pipe (22) is provided inside the second housing (16), one end of the second corrugated pipe (22) is connected to the second slide (25), and the second target rod (23) passes through the second corrugated pipe (22).

2. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing (12) has a first fixing frame (2) and a second fixing frame (3) on its side. The drive motor (1) is mounted on the first fixing frame (2), and the second fixing frame (3) is mounted on a pull wire electronic ruler (4).

3. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first target rod (13) passes through the first bellows (8), and the left end of the first target rod (13) is fixedly connected to the first flange (6).

4. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first probe head (14) is fitted with an aluminum alloy shielding shell on its side wall.

5. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interiors of the first outer shell (12) and the second outer shell (16) are both vacuum spaces.

6. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the connector (18) is provided with a water-cooled block (19), which is connected to the second corrugated pipe pressure block (21) via the second flange (20).

7. The device for measuring the ion source outlet angle of a stable isotope separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large Faraday plate (24) is provided with a water tank, and a cooling water pipe is connected to the inlet of the water tank.

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