A control device (1) for controlling the operating efficiency of an
irradiation beam emitting device (2) wherein the
irradiation beam emitting device (2) comprises: a
vacuum chamber (13), a filament (4) configured to emit electrons by a
hot electron effect upon heating, a first
electrical conductor (6) and a second
electrical conductor (5), the invention relates to a control device (1) for a lamp filament (4), a first conductor (6) and a second conductor (5), each arranged inside a
vacuum chamber (13), the control device (1) comprising: a power source (9) connectable to the lamp filament (4), the first conductor (6) and the second conductor (5) to supply power to the lamp filament (4), the first conductor (6) and the second conductor (5); a sensing unit (11) comprising at least one first sensor (7) configured to detect at least one electrical parameter relating to a current flowing through the first
electrical conductor (6), the current being defined as an
ionization current (IC); and a second sensor (8) configured to detect at least one electrical parameter related to a current flowing through the second electrical conductor (5), the current being defined as an emission current (EC); a
control unit (10) coupled to the sensing unit (11) to receive the detected electrical parameter and to the power supply (9) and further configured for performing a main
control mode (F1) of the state of the
irradiation beam emitting device (2), the mode comprising: regulating the power supply (9) to apply a predetermined current to the filament (4) to emit electrons; adjusting the power supply (9) to apply a predetermined
voltage to the first electrical conductor (6); adjusting the power supply (9) to apply a predetermined
voltage to the second electrical conductor (5); depending on the detected electrical
parameter dependent on the
ionization current (IC) and on the detected electrical
parameter dependent on the emission current (EC), at least one
state parameter representing the operating efficiency of the irradiation beam emission device (2) is derived.