Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for generating X-rays (57). The device comprises a source (7) for emitting electrons (53) and a liquid metal for emitting X-rays as a result of the incidence of electrons. The device further comprises a displacing member (11) for displacing the liquid metal through an impingement position (55) where the electrons emitted by the source impinge upon the liquid metal. As a result of the flow of liquid metal through the impingement position the heat, which is generated in the impingement position as a result of the incidence of the electrons upon the liquid metal, is transported away from the impingement position. According to the invention, the displacing member (11) has a contact surface (61), which is in contact with the liquid metal in the impingement position (55), and a driving member (31) for moving the contact surface in a direction which, in the impingement position, is substantially parallel to the contact surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the calibration of a radiation sensor, in which method a first calibration takes place with external radiation x and an internal signal s of the radiation sensor, and in which later calibrations are carried out exclusively with the internal signal. This enables the calculation of an approximate value x*(t) for the quantity of radiation x(t) absorbed in a radiation sensor (10) while taking into account a behavior of the radiation sensor that changes in time. First the primary characteristic ft1(x) is measured at a first instant t1; this characteristic describes the dependency of an output signal o on the absorbed quantity of radiation x. At the same time the secondary characteristic gt2(s) is measured, which characteristic describes the dependency of the output signal o on an internal signal s. The signals s and x should together form an intermediate signal w that is further processed with a function D(w,t) that varies in time in order to form the output signal o.