Liquid-Cooled External Source Coils for Vacuum X-Ray Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In x-ray microscopy systems, the heat rejection from source coils in high vacuum environments leads to coil damage and reduced vacuum quality due to outgassing, and thermal expansion affects electron optics, necessitating improved thermal management without compromising the magnetic field needed for electron beam steering.
Innovation Solution
The magnetic field is generated outside the vacuum vessel, allowing for air/water/oil cooling of source coils, and then transmitted through magnetically penetrable vacuum transitions to guide the electron beam within the vacuum, using pole pieces and a protective field cap to direct the magnetic field near the electron emitter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If source coils are placed inside the vacuum vessel for magnetic field generation, then the magnetic field can be generated close to the electron emitter, but heat rejection becomes problematic causing coil damage and vacuum quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The source coils are extracted from the vacuum environment and placed in the ambient environment, allowing them to be cooled by air or liquid cooling systems without compromising the vacuum quality. This separates the thermal management requirements from the vacuum requirements, enabling effective heat rejection while maintaining coil reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetically penetrable vacuum transitions (such as ceramic or metal membranes) are introduced as intermediaries to transmit the magnetic field from the coils in the ambient environment to the electron beam in the vacuum environment. This allows the coils to be positioned outside the vacuum while still performing their magnetic field generation function effectively
2Temperature
If source coils are placed inside the vacuum vessel, then magnetic field generation is effective, but thermal expansion affects electron optics and vacuum quality is reduced due to outgassing
Solution Approach 1:
The source coils are removed from the vacuum environment, eliminating the thermal expansion issues that would affect the precision electron optics components remaining in vacuum. The coils now operate in the ambient environment where thermal management is not constrained by vacuum requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetically penetrable vacuum transitions serve as intermediaries to conduct the magnetic field from the ambient environment into the vacuum environment, allowing the coils to be positioned outside the vacuum chamber while maintaining effective magnetic field generation near the electron emitter
3Temperature
If source coils are located outside the vacuum vessel, then thermal management is improved through air/water/oil cooling, but the magnetic field must be transmitted through vacuum transitions
Solution Approach 1:
Magnetically penetrable vacuum transitions (such as ceramic or metal membranes) are introduced as intermediaries to conduct the magnetic field from the coils in the ambient environment to the electron beam in the vacuum environment. This allows the coils to be positioned outside the vacuum chamber while maintaining effective magnetic field generation near the electron emitter
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively manages thermal loads, prevents coil damage, maintains vacuum quality, and stabilizes electron optics, enhancing the precision and reliability of x-ray source systems by isolating heat dissipation from the vacuum environment.
Implementation Method 1
source coils, which are located outside the vacuum vessel, for magnetically steering the beam near the electron emitter on a path toward the target
Implementation Method 2
allowing air/water/oil cooling of source coils
Implementation Method 3
The magnetic field is generated outside the vacuum vessel, allowing for air/water/oil cooling of source coils
Data Source
AI summary
The electron beam is typically dynamically steered after its generation on the path to the target. The steering is performed by one or more source coils. These coils produce the magnetic field outside the vacuum vessel allowing air/water/oil cooling to remove undesired heat. The magnetic field is then picked up inside the vacuum vessel with pole pieces and guided towards the region where the magnetic field is needed to steer the electron beam.