1) Synchrotron and FEL Radiation: From the production to the use (3 ECTS)
Stefano Lupi 
Department of Physics and INFN, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
 

1. Historical Review on Synchrotron and FEL Radiation;
2. Synchrotron Radiation production: From bending magnet to insertion devices;
3. Incoherent vs. Coherent emission;
4. Quality factor of radiation: Flux, brilliance, bandwidth, repetition rate, pulse time duration and polarization;
5. Dedicated synchrotron and FEL machines and their worldwide distributions;
6. The Italian projects: Elettra and Fermi@Trieste and DAFNE, SPARC and EUPRAXIA@LNF-INFN;
7. Use of synchrotron and FEL radiation in spectroscopy and microscopy:

• Applications in the Terahertz and infrared spectral range;
• Applications in the X-Ray: Diffraction, EXAFS, and XANES;
• Photoemissions;
• Pump-Probe time resolved spectroscopy;

8. Future developments;
   
   
    

2) Design of Superconducting Magnets and Applied Cryogenics  (3 ECTS)
 
Stefania Farinon (INFN Genova)
 
Introduction to superconductivity
Superconducting wires and cables
Current distribution and magnetic fields
Introduction to finite element analysis
Lorentz forces and magnet mechanics
Examples of designed and built magnets
Dissipation in variable operating conditions
Stability and protection



Riccardo Musenich (INFN Genova)

Brief review of thermodynamics  
Cryogenic fluids  
Thermostating: bath, flow (thermosiphon, heat pipe, forced flow), conduction-based  
Superfluid helium  
Heat transfer mechanisms  
Techniques for reducing thermal input (dewars, cryostats, and transfer lines)  
Other sources of thermal input: non-thermal radiation, Joule effect, dissipation in superconductors under variable conditions, elastic energy release, phase transitions, gas condensation, thermo-acoustic oscillations.  
Properties of materials at low temperatures: specific heat, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, thermal contraction, yield and breaking load, Young's modulus, resilience.  
Low-temperature thermometry  
Refrigeration and liquefaction cycles: gas expansion (isenthalpic and isentropic), adiabatic demagnetization, \( ^3\text{He}-^4\text{He} \) dilution. Real refrigerators.  
Basics of cryogenic safety 

 
3) Particle interactions with matter and applications for medical physics (3 ECTS)
 
G.Franciosini V.Patera (SBAI department - Sapienza Univ Roma)
 
 
1) Introduction to the course, BB, review of special relativity
2) Review of special relativity, calculation of dE/dx, range calculation, straggling
3) dE/dx for electrons, radiation, radiation length, multiple scattering
4) Decays of radioisotopes and sources of charged particles
5) Applications of charged radiation
6) Introduction to neutral radiation interactions: photon interactions (Photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, Pair production).
7)  CT & SPECT
8) PET
9) RadioTherapy with photons
10) RadioTherapy with charged particles
11) Dosimetry & relative detectors
12) Radio Protection in Space
13) Neutrons
14) Proton CT
15) Accelerators for Radiotherapy applications

 
 
4) The Physics of High Brightness Beams (6 ECTS)
 
Massimo.Ferrario@lnf.infn.it
INFN LNF
 
Course Description - Light sources based on high gain free electron lasers or future high energy linear colliders require the production, acceleration and transport up to the interaction point of low divergency, high charge density, short electron bunches (high brightness beams). Many effects contribute in general to the degradation of the final beam quality, including chromatic effects, wake fields, emission of coherent radiation, accelerator misalignments, etc. In particular Space Charge effects and mismatch with the focusing and accelerating devices contribute to emittance degradation of high charge density beams, hence the control of beam transport and acceleration is the leading edge for high quality beam production. In these lectures we introduce from basic principles the main concepts of beam focusing and transport in modern accelerators using the beam envelope equation as a convenient mathematical tool, suitable for any kind of charged particle accelerator. Matching conditions preserving the beam quality are derived from the model for significant beam dynamics regimes. An extension of the model to the plasma accelerator case is also introduced. The understanding of similarities and differences with respect to traditional accelerators are emphasized.
 
Course Details - The main topics discussed during the lectures will include:
-Overview of advanced accelerator techniques and their applications
-The concepts of Emittance, Brightness and Luminosity
-Relativistic dynamics recapitulation
-Phase Space and Liouville Theorem
-Beam Thermodynamics
-Longitudinal and Transverse Envelope Equations
-Space Charge Effects
-Beam Manipulation and Emittance Compensation
-Wake Fields and Instabilities
-The physics of Free Electron Lasers
-Introduction to Plasma Accelerator Physics
-The EuPRAXIA project at LNF
 
A few dedicated seminars will be given by experts in specific fields of interest related to this course. A detailed visit to the existing high brightness facility SPARC_LAB at LNF will conclude the course.
 
Essential References
[1] J. B. Rosenzweig, “Fundamentals of beam physics”, Oxford University Press, New York, 2003
[2] M. Reiser, “Theory and Design of Charged Particle Beams” , Wiley, New York, 1994
[3] L. Serafini, J. B. Rosenzweig, Phys. Rev. E 55 (1997) 7565
[4] M. Ferrario et al., Phys. Rev. Let. 99, 234801 (2007)
[5] Beam dynamics newsletter, n. 38 www-bd.fnal.gov/icfabd/Newsletter38.pdf
[6] M. Ferrario et al., Phys. Rev. Let. 104, 054801 (2010)
[7] T. Wangler, “Principles of RF linear accelerators”, Wiley, New York, 1998

 
 
 
5) The physical mechanisms of neutron production, detection and scattering (3 ECTS)
 
A.Pietropaolo (ENEA)
 
 
Key arguments of the course
 
1- Neutron production mechanisms:

• Fission;
• Photoproduction;
• Spallation;
• Fusion.

            2- Large Scale Facilities
            3- Neutron detection mechanisms
                  -     Neutron-nucleus interactions for detection purposes;
                  -     Gaseous detector response;
                  -     Scintillation detector response;
                  -     Semiconductor detector response.
             4- Basic theory of neutron scattering and applications

 
 

 

6)  Collective Effects in Circular Accelerators (30h) (3 ECTS)
 Migliorati Mostacci Métral

Wakefields (10h):

• Longitudinal and transverse wakefield
  • Definitions for a point charge
  • Definitions for a bunch
  • Short and long range wakefields
  • Expansion in cylindrical symmetry
• Coupling impedances
  • Definition of longitudinal and transverse impedances
  • Example of RLC, wake and impedance (longitudinal and transverse)
• Example of calculation of wakefields and energy loss
  • Uniform boundaries
  • Resistive wall
  • Green function method
  • Non uniform boundaries
  • Example of use of an electromagnetic code (e.g. CST)
  • Broad band impedance models

Instabilities in storage rings: longitudinal (10h):

• Revision of synchrotron oscillations
  • Momentum compaction
  • Energy oscillation
  • Finite and differential equation for a single particle and a macroparticle with wakefields
  • Longitudinal oscillations
• Robinson instability in the fundamental mode
• Fokker-Plank equation and stationary solution
  • Fokker-Plank equation
  • Haissinski equation and potential well distortion
  • Phase shift and incoherent frequency shift
  • Example of simulation code
• Perturbation methods and mode coupling
• Coupled bunch instabilities
  • Macroparticle model
  • Example of simulation code
  • High Q resonator instabilities

Instabilities in storage rings: transverse (8h):

• Transverse single bunch instabilities
  • Vlasov equation
  • Perturbation theory
  • Head-tail instability
  • Transverse Mode Coupling Instability (TMCI) => From impedance but also space charge, beam-beam and electron cloud
  • Imaginary Tune Split and Repulsion (ITSR) instability => Due to resistive transverse dampers (often necessary for coupled-bunch operation, see below)
• Transverse coupled-bunch instabilities
  • High Q resonator instability
  • Resistive wall instability

Landau damping (2h):

• Introduction and physical origin of Landau damping
• Landau damping in coasting beams
  • Longitudinal
  • Transverse
• Landau damping in bunched beams
  • Transverse
  • Longitudinal
• Losses of Landau Damping

7) Regulatory and Safety Framework of Medical Accelerators

Dr. Giuseppe Felici
Scientific Director, S.I.T. – Sordina IORT Technologies 

This course provides an in-depth overview of the regulatory, physical, and safety foundations
of medical linear accelerators. It explores how international standards — most notably IEC 60601-2-1
and IEC 60976 — originate from specific physical and engineering constraints, and how
they evolve to address new paradigms such as Ultra-High Dose Rate (UHDR) / FLASH radiotherapy.

Special emphasis is given to the “conformational paradigm” that has shaped radiation therapy
over the past decades, and to its current temporal extension (“time beyond conformality”)
implied by UHDR beam structures.

The course also covers radiation protection in the context of medical accelerators, linking
physical modeling, shielding, and workflow control to NCRP-151 and related guidance.
Attention is given both to staff and environment protection, and to the patient radiation-protection
requirements embedded in IEC 60601-2-1.

1. Foundations of Medical Accelerator Regulation

2. The Conformational Paradigm

3. IEC 60976 and Dosimetric Performance Requirements

4. Radiation Protection in Accelerator Design

5. Towards FLASH and Beyond

 
Expected Outcomes
Participants will gain an integrated understanding of how physics, engineering,
clinical workflow, and regulatory science converge in the design and certification
of medical accelerators — from conventional LINACs to proton/light-ion systems
(IEC 60601-2-64) and next-generation UHDR/FLASH devices.