Abstract:
An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a radiation filter having a first portion and a second portion, the first and the second portions forming a layer for filtering radiation impinging thereon, wherein the first portion is made from a first material having a first x-ray filtering characteristic, and the second portion is made from a second material having a second x-ray filtering characteristic. An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a first target material, a second target material, and an accelerator for accelerating particles towards the first target material and the second target material to generate x-rays at a first energy level and a second energy level, respectively.
Abstract:
An anticathode is repeatedly moved along a rotating axis of the anticathode while the anticathode is rotated around the rotating axis. Then, energy beams are irradiated onto a surface portion of the anticathode which is located against a centrifugal force generated from the rotation of the anticathode to partially melt the surface portion through the heating said surface portion near the melting point of the anticathode or over the melting point of the anticathode, thereby generating an X-ray from the rotating anticathode.
Abstract:
An x-ray generating device includes a field emission cathode formed at least partially from a nanostructure-containing material having an emitted electron current density of at least 4 A/cm2. High energy conversion efficiency and compact design are achieved due to easy focusing of cold cathode emitted electrons and dramatic reduction of heating at the anode. In addition, by pulsing the field between the cathode and the gate or anode and focusing the electron beams at different anode materials, pulsed x-ray radiation with varying energy can be generated from a single device. Methods and apparatus for independent control of electron emission current and x-ray energy in x-ray tubes are also provided. The independent control can be accomplished by adjusting the distance between the cathode and anode. The independent control can also be accomplished by adjusting the temperature of the cathode. The independent control can also be accomplished by optical excitation of the cathode. The cathode can include field emissive materials such as carbon nanotubes.
Abstract:
An X-ray generator is provided using a transmission type target having a long life span, where it is possible to change the point for generating X-rays on the surface of the target while maintaining the vacuum chamber in a high vacuum state. A portion of a vacuum chamber 1 that includes a target 2 is linked to a main body portion 1a of the chamber through a linking member 5 as a movable chamber portion 1b. A fixed anode 12 is provided between the target 2 and the electrode 10 at the final stage from among a group of electrodes 8, 9 and 10 for electrostatically accelerating and converging electrons from an electron source 7 and is fixed to the main body portion 1a of the chamber in order to prevent the form of the electrical field from changing when the movable chamber portion 1b is shifted.
Abstract:
An X-ray source comprising a cathode element adapted to generate a stream of electrons. The X-ray source includes an anode element adapted to present a focal spot position for the stream of electrons. A vacuum chamber contains the cathode element and anode element. The anode element and/or the cathode element can be moveable with respect to the other in coordination with the generation of the stream of electrons.
Abstract:
A transmission x-ray tube comprising an end window hermetically sealed to a flexible coupling. The flexible coupling can allow the window to shift or tilt in one direction or another direction to allow an electron beam to impinge upon one region of the window or another region of the window.A method of utilizing different regions of an x-ray tube target by tilting an x-ray tube window at an acute angle with respect to an electron beam axis to cause an electron beam to impinge on a selected region of the window and tilting the window in a different direction to allow the electron beam to impinge on a different selected region of the window.
Abstract:
A motion correction system and method for motion correction for an x-ray tube is presented. One embodiment of the motion correction system includes a sensing unit coupled to an x-ray tube to determine a distance with which an impingement location of an electron beam generated by the x-ray tube deviates from a determined location due to motion of the x-ray tube. The motion correction system further includes a control unit coupled to the sensing unit to generate a control signal corresponding to the distance with which the impingement location of the electron beam deviates. Also, the motion correction system includes a deflection unit coupled to the control unit to steer the electron beam to the determined location based on the generated control signal.
Abstract:
An X-ray source comprising a cathode element adapted to generate a stream of electrons. The X-ray source includes an anode element adapted to present a focal spot position for the stream of electrons. A vacuum chamber contains the cathode element and anode element. The anode element and/or the cathode element can be moveable with respect to the other in coordination with the generation of the stream of electrons.
Abstract:
An X-ray tube anode target assembly having a support shaft connected to a pivot assembly and a movable anode target surface disposed at one end of the support shaft. A first drive assembly is operably arranged with respect to the support shaft to provide oscillatory motion to the anode target about a first axis substantially parallel to the support shaft and drive cylinder operably arranged with respect to the contact element to provide a pivoting motion to the support shaft. A second drive assembly is operably arranged with respect to the drive cylinder to provide an oscillatory motion to the drive cylinder, the second drive cylinder having a cam portion to provide linear motion to the support shaft parallel to the first axis. The target surface is maintained at a substantially constant angle of impingement and maintains a substantially fixed distance from a cathode during target motion.