A type of particle accelerator that uses a changing magnetic field to accelerate electrons to very high speeds, producing intense X-rays or gamma rays for research and medical use.
From 'beta' (referring to beta rays/electrons) + '-tron' (suffix from 'electron,' used in physics for particle-accelerating machines like 'cyclotron' and 'synchrotron'). Invented in the 1940s and named by its developers.
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