Finding operation conditions for ultra-high dose-rate electron beam delivery at FLUTE

The linac-based test facility FLUTE (Ferninfrarot Linac- und Test-Experiment) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was designed to operate over a broad range of beam parameters and to generate ultra-short electron bunches. This versatility enables studies beyond accelerator physics, including applications in medical research. In particular, FLUTE can be used to explore operation modes suitable for investigating the effects of ultra-high dose-rate radiotherapy (FLASH RT) compared to conventional radiotherapy. Achieving the required dose rates for both modalities involved adjusting key beam parameters such as charge, repetition rate, and transverse size. This contribution discusses the strategies used to reach these conditions, the encountered technical challenges, and the results of initial tests on the achievable dose-rate ranges.