Abstract:
A cathode for an X-ray tube, an X-ray tube, a system for X-ray imaging, and a method for an assembly of a cathode for an X-ray tube include a filament, a support structure, a body structure, and a filament frame structure. The filament is provided to emit electrons towards an anode in an electron emitting direction, and the filament at least partially includes a helical structure. Further, the filament is held by the support structure which is fixedly connected to the body structure. The filament frame structure is provided for electron-optical focusing of the emitted electrons, and the filament frame structure is provided adjacent to the outer boundaries of the filament. The filament frame structure includes frame surface portions arranged transverse to the emitting direction, and the filament frame structure is held by the support structure.
Abstract:
Provided is an x-ray tube capable of easily and stably performing a focus dimension variable control and a tube current control. The x-ray tube is equipped with a cathode (10) having a filament (11) and a trench portion (16) in which the filament (11) is housed. In the x-ray tube, the trench portion (16) has: a pair of first bottom surfaces (S1) having the same plane as a plane on which the filament (11) is positioned and sandvviching the filament (11) in the width direction (db) of the trench potion (16); and second bottom surfaces (S2) sandwiching the filament (11) and the pair of first bottom surfaces (S1) in the length direction (da) of the trench portion (16) and positioned on the more opening (16a) side of the trench portion (16) than the pair of first bottom surfaces (S1).
Abstract:
Systems, methods, and devices with improved electrode configuration for downhole nuclear radiation generators are provided. For example, one embodiment of a nuclear radiation generator capable of downhole operation may include a charged particle source, a target material, and an acceleration column between the charged particle source and the target material. The acceleration column may include several electrodes shaped such that substantially no electrode material from the electrodes is sputtered onto an insulator surface of the acceleration column during normal downhole operation.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method comprising a cathode structure which can be a cylindrical filament coiled in a helix or which can be constructed of a ribbon or other suitable shape. The cathode structure can be heated by passage of an electrical current, or by other means such as bombardment with energetic electrons. Selected portions of the surface of the cathode structure have an altered property with respect to the non-selected portions of the surface. In one embodiment, the altered property is a curvature. In another embodiment, the altered property is a work function. By altering the property of the selected portions of the surface, the electron beam intensity is increased, and the width is decreased.
Abstract:
An electrically heated planar cathode for use in miniature x-ray tubes may be spiral design laser cut from a thin tantalum alloy ribbon foil (116) with grain stabilizing features. Bare ribbon is mounted to an aluminum nitride substrate (110) in a manner that is puts the ribbon in minimal tension before it is machined into the spiral pattern (118). The spiral pattern can be optimized for electrical, thermal, and emission characteristics.
Abstract:
An x-ray tube cathode with magnetic electron beam steering. In one example embodiment, an x-ray tube cathode includes a cathode head and an electron emitter. The cathode head includes electrically conductive and non-magnetic material integrated with magnetic material. The cathode head defines an emitter slot in a portion of electrically conductive and non-magnetic material positioned between two portions of magnetic material. The electron emitter is positioned within the emitter slot. The electron emitter is configured to emit a beam of electrons. The beam of electrons is configured to be both focused by the electrically conductive and non-magnetic material and steered during beam formation by the magnetic material.