Learn
Everything on this site — the design rules, the calculators, the build census — rests on a small body of physics and eighty-plus years of accumulated practice. This section lays that foundation out in order: how the machine works, where it came from, what it is used for, what can hurt you, and what it realistically takes to build one.
The pages form a learning path and are best read in sequence, but each stands alone. Anyone considering a build should read Safety in full, whatever else they skip.
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1 How a Cyclotron Works
The physics from first principles: the Lorentz force, the resonance condition, dees and RF, focusing, and why classical machines top out — plus how cyclotrons relate to linacs, betatrons, and synchrotrons.
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2 History
From a sketch on a library evening in 1929 to the 4-inch prototype, the MeV barrier, the 184-inch synchrocyclotron, the isochronous era, and today’s superconducting and medical machines.
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3 Applications
What cyclotrons actually do all day: PET and SPECT isotope production, the Tc-99m story, proton therapy, PIXE analysis, nuclear physics research, and more.
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4 Safety
The hazards of small accelerator projects — high voltage, RF, X-rays, activation, vacuum, magnets, gas handling — each with its mechanism and its mitigation. Read before building anything.
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5 So You Want to Build One
The honest starter path: the skills it takes, what documented builds actually cost, how long they take, how often they finish, the key design decisions, and where to ask questions.
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6 Free Modeling & Simulation Tools
A verified catalog of free software for every design question — magnet field solvers, beam tracking, ion source extraction, RF, vacuum, and shielding — with honest assessments for tabletop builders.
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7 Cyclotron Glossary
The reference to keep open alongside everything else: 90-odd concise definitions of the terms in cyclotron literature — anatomy, beam physics, RF, vacuum, safety, and regulation — each deep-linkable and cross-referenced.
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8 The Cyclotron Industry
Who actually builds commercial cyclotrons: the current manufacturers worldwide with their machine lines, the historical makers whose nameplates survive on running machines, honest install-base numbers, and what working in the field looks like.
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9 Keep Going: External Resources
Where the learning continues beyond this site — verified video courses and lecture archives, free conference proceedings, open textbooks, thesis collections, communities, and surplus vendors.