Abstract: An X-ray tube and an X-ray imaging device are disclosed. The X-ray tube comprises: a glass envelope; a cathode assembly, accommodated inside the glass envelope; and a core column structure, connected to the glass envelope and the cathode assembly, such that the cathode assembly is sealed inside the glass envelope. The core column structure comprises: a metal flat plate, wherein the cathode assembly is fixed to the metal flat plate; and a sealing bead, wherein the sealing bead is arranged in the metal flat plate, and an electrically conductive support rod connected to the cathode assembly passes through two ends of the sealing bead. The X-ray tube enables generated heat to be rapidly transferred to a cooling medium via thermally conductive metal to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

Abstract: An X-ray radiator and an X-ray assembly are disclosed. The X-ray radiator according to an embodiment has an evacuated X-ray tube housing, mounted to be rotatable about a rotation axis, the X-ray tube housing including an anode and an electron source. The anode is arranged within the X-ray tube housing non-rotatably relative to the X-ray tube housing and is configured to generate X-ray radiation via electrons impacting upon a focal spot of the anode, the electron source being mounted substantially stationary within the X-ray tube housing relative to the rotation axis. The electron source has a main emitter and at least one subsidiary emitter for emitting electrons. The electron emission of the main emitter and/or of the at least one subsidiary emitter is controllable such that a spatial movement of the focal spot due to a movement of the electron source is reduced.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method for controlling filament current and apparatus. The method comprises: acquiring a current filament current value (S11); determining a current range within which the current filament current value falls (S12); determining a correspondence between a filament current and a control current according to the current range (S13); and determining the current control current according to the current filament current value and the correspondence (S14). The problem of large errors in the control of filament current caused by nonlinear characteristics of a filament transformer can be solved.

Abstract: An x-ray source device includes an anode for generating x-rays via an electron beam striking a focal point of the anode, the anode being rotatable about an axis of rotation via an electric motor including a stator and a rotor, the stator including a first coil end, relatively nearer to the anode and a second coil end, relatively further from the anode. A laminated core of the stator is arranged between the first and second coil ends. The first coil end includes a first intersection area, relatively further from the focal point and a second intersection area, relatively nearer to the focal point, with respect to the focal plane. A maximal external radius of the second intersection area is relatively smaller than a maximal external radius of the laminated core in the focal plane.

Abstract: Provided is an X-ray tube. The X-ray tube includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode vertically spaced apart from the cathode electrode, an emitter on the cathode electrode, a gate electrode disposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, the gate electrode including an opening at a position corresponding to the emitter, and a spacer provided between the gate electrode and the anode electrode. The spacer includes an insulator and conductive dopants doped in the insulator.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method, comprising: exposing an image sensor to a scene; measuring, as analog signals, intensities of light from the scene by a plurality of pixels of the image sensor; converting the analog signals to digital signals; and determining a total intensity of light of the scene by calculating a sum of the digital signals.

Abstract: An x-ray generating unit includes an x-ray tube that is substantially transparent to x-rays and that defines a vacuum therein. A cathode is disposed within the x-ray tube and defines a plurality of spaced apart cavities. An anode is spaced apart from the cathode and includes a material that emits x-rays when impacted by electrons. A plurality of filaments is each disposed in a different one of the cavities defined by the cathode and each is electrically coupled to the cathode. Each filament emits a focused electron beam directed to a different predetermined spot on the anode upon application of a predetermined voltage between the cathode and the anode, thereby causing the anode to generate x-rays.

Abstract: A support unit and a collimator are relatively rotated about the axis of rotation by a rotation driving device. The collimator has a blocking region that blocks X-rays and a transmission region that allows X-rays to pass therethrough. The transmission region has a vertex positioned on the axis of rotation, and the circumferential length of the transmission region increases proportionally as it advances outward from the vertex. A sample supported by the support unit is irradiated with X-rays by an X-ray source through the transmission region of the collimator, and the fluorescent X-rays from the sample are detected by the detector. The analysis of a composition of a sample is performed based on the fluorescent X-rays detected by the detector.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an X-ray CT apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to acquire set tube current waveform, and specify, based on the set tube current waveform, a period of a first tube current and a period of a second tube current lower than the first tube current. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a waveform of a grid voltage such that a first grid voltage is applied during a period corresponding to the period of the first tube current and a second grid voltage, which is higher than the first grid voltage, is applied during a period corresponding to the period of the second tube current.

Abstract: A system or method for improving quality in projection and tomographic x-ray, which includes a depth sensing device to measure a depth of at least one body part of a patient from the depth sensing device and a control unit to calculate a thickness and/or circumference of the body part using the depth information. The calculated thickness and circumference information is used to determine an optimal level of x-ray exposure for the body part. The system or method also includes a camera to identify the body part that needs to be examined and to detect any motion of the identified body part.

Abstract: A stationary in-vivo grating-enabled micro-CT (computed tomography) architecture (SIGMA) system includes CT scanner control circuitry and a number of imaging chains. Each imaging chain includes an x-ray source array, a phase grating, an analyzer grating and a detector array. Each imaging chain is stationary and each x-ray source array includes a plurality of x-ray source elements. Each imaging chain has a centerline, the centerlines of the number of imaging chains intersect at a center point and a first angle between the centerlines of a first adjacent pair of imaging chains equals a second angle between the centerlines of a second adjacent pair of imaging chains. A plurality of selected x-ray source elements of a first x-ray source array is configured to emit a plurality of x-ray beams in a multiplexing fashion.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving thermal management strategies of a cathode assembly of an x-ray tube. In one embodiment, an x-ray tube comprises an anode assembly and a cathode assembly, wherein the cathode assembly includes one or more elements that include an internal porous section for controlling a flow of heat within the cathode assembly during operation of the x-ray tube. In this way, heat conduction to temperature sensitive aspects of the cathode assembly may be reduced, while enabling sufficient heat transfer to other parts of the cathode assembly to minimize deformation.

Abstract: A linear accelerator target apparatus includes a target material to produce radiation upon being struck by electrons accelerated by a linear accelerator and a target holder assembly to which the target material is attached. The target holder assembly includes a cooling channel disposed around a perimeter of the target material. The target holder assembly is configured to be detachably coupled to a housing of the linear accelerator. The target apparatus further includes a protective window coupled to the target holder assembly over the target material.

Abstract: An X-ray tube of an embodiment includes an anode; and an electron emission device. In an embodiment, the electron emission device includes at least one electron emitter including at least one emission surface and at least one barrier grid, the at least one barrier grid being spaced apart from the at least one emission surface of the electron emitter and includes a definable number of individually controllable grid segments. According to an embodiment, at least one individually definable grid voltage is applicable to each of the grid segments. In a simple manner, an electron-emission device of an embodiment permits the image quality to be adjusted with minimal anode loading.

Abstract: An anode head for an anode of an X-ray generating device is provided. The anode head is made of an X-ray attenuating material and has a first opening with a first diameter for a primary electron beam, wherein a circular aperture of a secondary electron absorbing material and having a second opening which is arranged concentrically to the first aperture and has a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter.

Abstract: An x-ray tube includes an electron emitter to emit an electron beam; and a multilayer anode including a first anode layer facing the electron beam and a second anode layer facing away from the electron beam. The first anode layer includes a first anode material to generate a braking radiation via the electron beam and the second anode layer includes a second anode material to generate a further x-ray radiation via the braking radiation. The further x-ray radiation is relatively more monochromatic than the braking radiation and wherein the first anode layer and the second anode layer adjoin in a planar manner.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an X-ray detector comprises: an X-ray absorption layer configured to absorb X-ray photons; an electronics layer comprising an electronics system configured to process or interpret signals generated by the X-ray photons incident on the X-ray absorption layer; and a temperature driver in the X-ray absorption layer or the electronics layer.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus 10 for generating an image of a subject including a scanning arrangement which includes an energy emitting source 20 and a detector 22 housed within a housing 12. The housing defines a scanning zone 24 in which the subject is operatively positioned for scanning A displacing arrangement 36 which includes a U-shaped belt-and-pulley drive arrangement is configured to displace the scanning arrangement relative to the housing 12 in a scanning direction. The housing 12 has a first door and second door defining a substantially linear pathway through the scanning zone. A motor 38 and horizontal drive belts 40 are disposed below the scanning zone and are not displaced relative to the housing in the scanning direction in which the energy emitting source and detector are displaced during scanning such that the displacing arrangement does not restrict or impede movement of the subject through the scanning zone.

Abstract: The present inventive concept relates to an X-ray source comprising: a liquid target source configured to provide a liquid target moving along a flow axis; an electron source configured to provide an electron beam; and a liquid target shaper configured to shape the liquid target to comprise a non-circular cross section with respect to the flow axis, wherein the non-circular cross section has a first width along a first axis and a second width along a second axis, wherein the first width is shorter than the second width, and wherein the liquid target comprises an impact portion being intersected by the first axis; wherein the x-ray source is configured to direct the electron beam towards the impact portion such that the electron beam interacts with the liquid target within the impact portion to generate X-ray radiation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing measurements of semiconductor structures based on high-brightness, polychromatic, reflective small angle x-ray scatterometry (RSAXS) metrology are presented herein. RSAXS measurements are performed over a range of wavelengths, angles of incidence, and azimuth angles with small illumination beam spot size, simultaneously or sequentially. In some embodiments, RSAXS measurements are performed with x-ray radiation in the soft x-ray (SXR) region at grazing angles of incidence in the range of 5-20 degrees. In some embodiments, the x-ray illumination source size is 10 micrometers or less, and focusing optics project the source area onto a wafer with a demagnification factor of 0.2 or less, enabling an incident x-ray illumination spot size of less than two micrometers.