42results about "X-ray tube targets and convertors" patented technology

Multi-energy radiation sources comprising charged particle accelerators driven by power generators providing different RF powers to the accelerator, capable of interlaced operation, are disclosed. Automatic frequency control techniques are provided to match the frequency of RF power provided to the accelerator with the accelerator resonance frequency. In one example where the power generator is a mechanically tunable magnetron, an automatic frequency controller is provided to match the frequency of RF power pulses at one power to the accelerator resonance frequency when those RF power pulses are provided, and the magnetron is operated such that frequency shift in the magnetron at the other power at least partially matches the resonance frequency shift in the accelerator when those RF power pulses are provided. In other examples, when the power generator is a klystron or electrically tunable magnetron, separate automatic frequency controllers are provided for each RF power pulse. Methods and systems are disclosed.

The invention relates to an X-ray tube, especially a microfocus X-ray tube (2), comprising means (18) for orienting an electron beam (10) towards a target (4). A control device (20) is used to control the means for orienting the electron beam (10) towards the target (4) in such a way that the electron beam (10) scans the target (4), in addition to a measuring device (22) for measuring the intensity of the target current which flows to different scanning sites when the target (4) is scanned by the electron beam (10), or a measuring variable dependent on the target current, and an evaluation device (24) for associating each measured value of the target flow with the corresponding scanning site. Said X-ray tube enables the easy and economical implementation of a method for checking the operability of the target (4).

A compact and low-cost electromagnetic wave generator in which X-rays having high intensity can be generated and the energy of generated X-rays can rapidly be switched. In an electromagnetic wave generator including a circular accelerator, a deflection electromagnet incorporated in the circular accelerator focuses injected and accelerated electrons, The circular accelerator produces stable electron closed orbits in a region with a predetermined width in the radial direction of the accelerator that are stable during injection and acceleration of electron. A target is arranged across the stable electron closed orbits and a collision region, where a circulating electron beam collides with the target and a non-collision region where a circulating electron beam does not collide with the target produced. Through control of respective patterns of changes with time in the deflection magnetic field, a given electron closed orbit is shifted between the collision and the non-collision regions, thereby generating X-rays.

In an x-ray system and a method for tomosynthetic scanning of a subject, x-ray radiation is emitted from two x-ray sources that are panned relative to the subject during a tomosynthetic scan. The two x-ray sources each emit an x-ray beam, the respective x-ray beams being parallel to each other with regard to their beam directions proceeding toward the subject. X-rays from the two parallel beams attenuated by the subject are detected by a two-dimensional x-ray detector, that is substantially stationary during the tomosynthetic scan.

X-ray apparatus comprises a linear accelerator adapted to produce a beam of electrons at one of at least two selectable energies and being controlled to change the selected energy on a periodic basis, and a target to which the beam is directed thereby to produce a beam of x-radiation, the target being non-homogenous and being driven to move periodically in synchrony with the change of the selected energy. In this way, the target can move so that a different part is exposed to the electron beam when different pulses arrive. This enables the appropriate target material to be employed depending on the selected energy. The easiest form of periodic movement for the target is likely to be a rotational movement. The target can be immersed in a coolant fluid such as water. The linear accelerator can be of the type disclosed in WO2006 / 097697A1. The target preferably contains at least one exposed area of tungsten and / or at least one exposed area of carbon. These can be present as inhomogeneities in the material of which the target is composed, such as Carbon inserts in a Tungsten substrate (or vice versa), alternating segments of Carbon and Tungsten, Carbon and Tungsten inserts in a substrate of a third material, or arrangements involving other materials in addition to or instead of Carbon and / or Tungsten. Alternatively, the target can be of a homogenous material but have inhomogeneities in its thickness to cater for the different electron energies. The same concept can be applied to the filter. A detector can be provided, operating in synchrony with the energy variation. Such an x-ray apparatus can form a part of a radiotherapy apparatus, in which case the first selected energy can be a diagnostic energy and a second selected energy a therapeutic energy.

A method for obtaining a concentrated, monochromatic x-ray beam from a standard x-ray tube or other source of polychromatic emission. X-rays from the anode of the x-ray tube fluoresce an adjoining, independent target that produces a monochromatic spectrum, a portion of which is focused by the x-ray optical system. This two-stage method gives the system considerably versatility without undue loss in signal. The two-stage concentrator makes practical the use of focusing optics in hand-held and portable instruments.

Multi-energy radiation sources comprising charged particle accelerators driven by power generators providing different RF powers to the accelerator, capable of interlaced operation, are disclosed. Automatic frequency control techniques are provided to match the frequency of RF power provided to the accelerator with the accelerator resonance frequency. In one example where the power generator is a mechanically tunable magnetron, an automatic frequency controller is provided to match the frequency of RF power pulses at one power to the accelerator resonance frequency when those RF power pulses are provided, and the magnetron is operated such that frequency shift in the magnetron at the other power at least partially matches the resonance frequency shift in the accelerator when those RF power pulses are provided. In other examples, when the power generator is a klystron or electrically tunable magnetron, separate automatic frequency controllers are provided for each RF power pulse. Methods and systems are disclosed.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing system is provided. The system may include a chamber wall enclosing a chamber, a substrate support positioned within the chamber to support a substrate, an electromagnetic radiation source to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the substrate on the substrate support, the electromagnetic radiation causing photoelectrons to be emitted from a material on the substrate, an analyzer to capture the photoelectrons emitted from the substrate, and a magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field within the chamber and guide the photoelectrons from the substrate to the analyzer.

The present disclosure provides an x-ray device including a housing configured to provide a vacuum therein, a cathode arranged inside the housing and configured to emit electrons, an anode arranged inside the housing and configured to produce x-ray radiation when impacted by electrons emitted by the cathode, and a converter configured to convert the x-ray radiation produced by the anode into monochromatic x-ray radiation, wherein the anode is configured to produce x-ray radiation in transmission and is arranged between the cathode and the converter. The present disclosure may be used in medical imaging, therapy, spectroscopy, and the like. Geometries and configurations may be improved compared to previously known x-ray devices when it comes to requirements for space, materials used, complexity of electrical wiring, distance between cathode and anode, and providing supplementary functions.

A compact and low-cost electromagnetic wave generator in which X-rays having high intensity can be generated and the energy of generated X-rays can rapidly be switched. In an electromagnetic wave generator including a circular accelerator, a deflection electromagnet incorporated in the circular accelerator focuses injected and accelerated electrons, The circular accelerator produces stable electron closed orbits in a region with a predetermined width in the radial direction of the accelerator that are stable during injection and acceleration of electron. A target is arranged across the stable electron closed orbits and a collision region, where a circulating electron beam collides with the target and a non-collision region where a circulating electron beam does not collide with the target produced. Through control of respective patterns of changes with time in the deflection magnetic field, a given electron closed orbit is shifted between the collision and the non-collision regions, thereby generating X-rays.

The present invention relates to X-ray generating technology in general. Providing an electron collecting element of an X-ray generating device statically may allow for the manufacture of X-ray systems with reduced moving parts and actuating parts, possibly reducing manufacturing costs and sources for failure. Consequently, an electron collecting element with increased thermal loadability is presented. According to the present invention, an electron collecting element (28) is provided, comprising a surface element (22) and a heat conducting element (26). The heat conducting element (26) comprises a first thermal conductivity in a first direction and at least a second thermal conductivity in at least a second direction. The first thermal conductivity is greater than the second thermal conductivity. The first direction is substantially perpendicular to the surface element (22).

The invention relates to an X-ray system (2) comprising an X-ray source (4) which generates X-ray radiation (10) at multiple X-ray focal spots (8) during operation, wherein each X-ray focal spot (8) is assigned a respective collimator (12), which selects the X-ray radiation (10) generated in the respective X-ray focal spot (8) and directed onto a common detector (14), wherein the collimators (12)are arranged such that they are stationary relative to their respective assigned X-ray focal spot (8), wherein the X-ray source (4) is configured as an X-ray tube (6) with at least one anode (22) having the X-ray focal spots (8) and with a number of cathodes (24), or wherein the X-ray source (4) has multiple X-ray tubes (6), the anodes (22) of which have the X-ray focal spots (8), and wherein thecollimators (12) are arranged in the respective X-ray tubes (6). The invention also relates to a method for operating an X-ray system (2) of this type.

Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam.

An X-ray emission device and method for a radiology apparatus comprises a cathode and a rotating anode, the anode being provided with a roughly cylindrical surface. The device forms a beam of electrons that bombards a portion of the roughly cylindrical surface of the anode that constitutes the focal point of emission of the X-rays. The position of the focal point of the anode relative to a reference position is dynamically controlled.

An X-ray generator capable of reliably reducing an X-ray focal spot size without depending on the focal spot size of an electron beam on a target. Providing, within the irradiation range of an electron beam B of a target laminated structure 3 comprising a target 2 and an X-ray irradiation window 1, a low X-ray absorptivity region 3a of localized low X-ray absorptivity in the irradiation direction of the electron beam B results in the suppression of emission to the outside of X-rays from among the X-rays generated as a result of the irradiation of the electron beam B onto the target 2 that are from regions other than the low X-ray absorptivity region 3a, and an X-ray focal spot of a size corresponding to the size of the low X-ray absorptivity region 3a is obtained regardless of the size of the irradiation region of the electron beam B.

An X-ray generation tube including a magnetic deflection portion configured to deflect an electron beam to reduce lines of magnetic force extending to the outside of the tube, where a subject is arranged, by placement of a magnetic shielding portion including a portion that is closer to an anode than the magnetic deflection portion in a tube axial direction and that is closer to the tube center axis than the magnetic deflection portion in a tube radial direction.

A multi-color X-ray generator includes an electron beam generator 10 which accelerates an electron beam to generate a pulse electron beam 1 and which transmits the beam along a predetermined rectilinear orbit 2, a composite laser generator 20 which successively generates a plurality of pulse laser lights 3a, 3b having different wavelengths, and a laser light introduction device 30 which introduces the pulse laser lights along the rectilinear orbit 2 to be opposed to the pulse electron beam 1, so that the plurality of pulse laser lights 3a, 3b successively head-on collide with the pulse electron beam 1 along the rectilinear orbit 2 so as to generate two or more types of monochromatic hard X-rays 4 (4a, 4b).

There is provided an X-ray tube device having a configuration for preventing peeled-off solid lubrication films from scattering in an X-ray tube even when the solid lubrication film peels off a rotary bearing. The X-ray tube device includes: an anode (212) that is irradiated with an electron beam, thereby emitting X-rays; a rotary bearing (304) that rotatably supports the anode (212); a solid lubrication film which is formed on a front surface of the rotary bearing (304) and into which a ferromagnet is mixed from the rotary bearing (304); and an attractor (303) which attracts, with a magnetic force, the solid lubrication film that peels off the rotary bearing (304).

The invention discloses an environment-friendly carbon nanometer cold cathode X-ray tube. The X-ray tube can comprise an X-ray window assembly, a shell assembly, a cold cathode assembly, a grid electrode assembly and an anode assembly, wherein the cold cathode assembly comprises an internally hollow environment-friendly carbon nanometer cold cathode; the anode assembly comprises a tungsten target; and the tungsten target is arranged at the corresponding end of the anode assembly and the cathode assembly in the direction vertical to the axis of the anode assembly. The environment-friendly carbon nanometer cold cathode X-ray tube provided by the invention is simple and reasonable in structure, and has the advantages of clearer imaging, convenience for volume production, energy conservation, little radiation quantity for people, long-time working, small equipment volume and the like. A way is paved for large-area popularization and application of the carbon nanometer cold cathode X-ray tube.

An X-ray source for producing soft X-rays, the X-ray source comprising: a cathode having an electron-emitting structure supported by a support structure, the electron-emitting structure being at least partially transparent to X-rays within a region bounded by the support structure; an anode having an X-ray emitting surface parallel to the electron-emitting structure of the cathode; and an electrically insulating spacer arranged between the anode and the cathode; wherein the electron-emitting structure of the cathode and the X-ray emitting surface of the anode are arranged such that, in use, the electron-emitting structure is operable to bombard the anode with electrons, causing X-rays to be emitted from the X-ray emitting surface and to pass through the cathode; and wherein the insulating spacer is arranged between the anode and the support structure of the cathode and projects beyond the support structure, across part of the anode, into the said region.

Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam.

There is provided an X-ray tube device having a configuration for preventing peeled-off solid lubrication films from scattering in an X-ray tube even when the solid lubrication film peels off a rotary bearing. The X-ray tube device includes: an anode (212) that is irradiated with an electron beam, thereby emitting X-rays; a rotary bearing (304) that rotatably supports the anode (212); a solid lubrication film which is formed on a front surface of the rotary bearing (304) and into which a ferromagnet is mixed from the rotary bearing (304); and an attractor (303) which attracts, with a magnetic force, the solid lubrication film that peels off the rotary bearing (304).