Abstract: An x-ray window includes a mount with a support frame and an aperture. A window film has a stack of layers including: a thin film layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, graphene, diamond-like carbon, beryllium, and combinations thereof; a boron hydride layer; and a polymer layer. The window film, including the thin film layer, the boron hydride layer, and the polymer layer, extends across the aperture and is supported by the support frame. The window film is attached to the support frame, defining a sealed joint. The layers are capable of withstanding a differential pressure of at least 1 atmosphere. The window film is substantially transmissive to x-rays having an energy in the range of 100-20,000 electronvolts.

Abstract: A silicon drift detector (SDD) comprising electrically isolated rings. The rings can be individually biased doped rings. One embodiment includes an SDD with a single doped ring. Some of the doped rings may not require a bias voltage. Some of the rings can be field plate rings. The field plate rings may all use the same biasing voltage as a single outer doped ring. The ring widths can vary such that the outermost ring is widest and the ring widths decrease with each subsequent ring towards the anode.

Abstract: A planar filament comprising two bonding pads and a non-linear filament connected between the two bonding pads. The planar filament may be wider in the center to increase filament life. The planar filament can form a double spiral-serpentine shape. The planar filament may be mounted on a substrate for easier handling and placement. Voltage can be used to create an electrical current through the filament, and can result in the emission of electrons from the filament. The planar filament can be utilized in an x-ray tube.

Abstract: A planar filament comprising two bonding pads and a non-linear filament connected between the two bonding pads. The planar filament may be wider in the center to increase filament life. The planar filament can form a double spiral-serpentine shape. The planar filament may be mounted on a substrate for easier handling and placement. Voltage can be used to create an electrical current through the filament, and can result in the emission of electrons from the filament. The planar filament can be utilized in an x-ray tube.

Abstract: A diffusive device has an array of discrete facets which may be of a size and pattern similar to a fractal. The facet dimensions can be greater than half the wavelength of incident light such that the facets substantially diffract light. A polarizing wire-grid layer comprised of an array of elongated parallel conductive wires with a period less than half the wavelength of incident light may be disposed between, beneath, or above the facets. The wire-grid polarizes the light by substantially reflecting light having an s-polarization orientation and substantially transmitting a portion of light having a p-polarization orientation.

Abstract: A radiation detector with an integrated collimator. The collimator may be deposited on an anode or cathode face of the radiation detector. An insulating material may be deposited between the collimator and the radiation detector if the collimator is deposited on the anode side. The collimator may be comprised of a single layer or of multiple layers. Patterning and etching may be used to create an aperture in the collimator to allow x-rays to impinge on a full charge collection region of the radiation detector intrinsic region.

Abstract: A circuit providing reliable voltage isolation between a low and high voltage sides of a circuit while allowing AC power transfer between the low and high voltage sides of the circuit to an x-ray tube filament. Capacitors provide the isolation between the low and high voltage sides of the circuit.

Abstract: A 4-Terminal JFET includes a substrate having a first conduction type and an upper layer having a second, opposite, conduction type over the substrate. A gate and a source are embedded in the upper layer. A gate pad is electrically connected to the gate. A region, which has a first conduction type, is formed in the upper layer and separates the upper layer into two sections. This region reduces the overall capacitance between the gate pad and the source. Reduced overall gate to source capacitance can result in reduced noise amplification in the JFET.

Abstract: A wire-grid polarizer includes a wire-grid layer disposed over a substrate. A plurality of contiguous dielectric-grid layers are contiguous with one another and disposed directly on top of the wire-grid layer. The plurality of contiguous dielectric-grid layers includes different materials with different indices of refraction. The array of dielectric material elements and the array of metal elements are oriented substantially parallel with one another, and the arrays having substantially equal periods.

Abstract: A multiple wavelength x-ray source includes a multi-thickness target, having at least a first and a second thickness. The first thickness can substantially circumscribe the second thickness. An electron beam can be narrowed to impinge primarily upon second thickness or expanded to impinge primarily upon the first thickness while maintaining a constant direction of the beam. This invention allows the target thickness to be optimized for the desired output wavelength without the need to redirect or realign the x-rays towards the target.

Abstract: A selectively absorptive, mulitlayer wire-grid polarizer for polarizing incident light includes a stack of thin film layers disposed over a substrate, including a wire-grid array of elongated metal elements having a period less than half the wavelength of the light. One of the layers can include a thin film layer with a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the substrate. One of the thin film layers can include a dielectric array of non-metal elements. One of the layers includes a material that is optically absorptive to the incident light.

Abstract: A high-voltage isolation transformer utilizing balun cores for transferring an alternating current signal from a first circuit to an output circuit, and a high voltage generator, such as a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier to apply a high direct current voltage bias with a high degree of voltage isolation between the first circuit and the output circuit. Multiple balun core transformers can be used in order to reduce the voltage rise between each individual transformer.

Abstract: A multilayer wire-grid polarizer for polarizing light includes a stack of thin film layers disposed over a substrate, including a wire-grid array of elongated metal elements having lengths longer than a wavelength of the light and a period less than half the wavelength of the light. One of the layers can include a thin film layer with a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the substrate. One of the thin film layers can include a dielectric array of non-metal elements.

Abstract: A polarization device includes an optical stack with a diffraction grating and a wire grid polarizer with one disposed over the other. The wire grid polarizer includes an array of elongated, parallel conductive wires in accordance with PWGP<?/2 where PWGP is the period of the wires and ? is the wavelength of the light. The diffraction grating includes an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs in accordance with PDG>?/2 where PDG is the period of the ribs.

Abstract: A folded projection display system includes a wire-grid polarizer placed immediately behind the system's imaging screen. The display system includes an image projector that projects an image beam containing light of a predetermined linear polarization toward the imaging screen. The wire-grid polarizer reflects the light in the image beam away from the screen. The reflected image beam then encounters a ¼-wavelength achromatic retarder that converts the linear polarization to circular polarization. The image beam next hits a mirror that reflects the light back through the ¼-wavelength achromatic retarder, which converts the circular polarization back to linear polarization, with the polarization director rotated 90 degrees from the original polarization direction. The wire-grid polarizer then allows the light to pass through to the image screen.

Abstract: A high strength window for a radiation detection system includes a plurality of intersecting ribs defining a grid having openings therein with tops of the ribs terminate substantially in a common plane. The intersecting ribs are oriented non-perpendicularly with respect to each other and define non-rectangular openings. The window also includes a support frame around a perimeter of the plurality of intersecting ribs, and a film disposed over and spanning the plurality of intersecting ribs and openings. The film is configured to pass radiation therethrough. An associated radiation detection system includes a sensor disposed behind the window. The sensor is configured to detect radiation passing through the high strength window.

Abstract: A high-voltage isolation transformer utilizing balun cores for transferring an alternating current signal from a first circuit to an output circuit, and a high voltage generator, such as a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier to apply a high direct current voltage bias with a high degree of voltage isolation between the first circuit and the output circuit. Multiple balun core transformers can be used in order to reduce the voltage rise between each individual transformer.

Abstract: A window for a radiation detection system includes a frame with an aperture therein configured to receive radiation therethrough. A plurality of silicon ribs span the aperture and are carried by the frame. A coating substantially envelopes each of the plurality of silicon ribs. A thin film covers the aperture and is carried by the plurality of silicon ribs and is configured to pass radiation therethrough.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing signal noise in an x-ray emitter/detector system are disclosed. A common clock is connected to at least two subsystems of the x-ray emitter/detector system to enable a plurality of noise sources associated with the at least two subsystems within the x-ray emitter/detector system to be correlated with the common clock. At least one adaptive filter having a plurality of taps is configured to receive a desired signal and a correlated noise estimate signal and output an error signal. An update algorithm is used to update a value of the plurality of taps to minimize the error signal output to thereby substantially remove at least one of the plurality of noise sources at each of the at last one variable filters in the x-ray emitter/detector system to provide a more accurate display of the output of the x-ray emitter/detector system.

Abstract: An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes an optical stack with a diffraction grating and an inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer. The inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes a stack of film layers with an array of parallel ribs in accordance with PGP<?/2 where PGP is the period of the ribs and ? is the wavelength of the light. The diffraction grating includes an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs in accordance with PDG>?/2 where PDG is the period of the ribs.