Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of digital information distribution. The last half-century has sen a manifold increase in the availability of information in a digital format. Such digital information, once created, can be copied any number of times without degradation of the original copy of the information. Furthermore, the information once digitized can, in theory, have an infinite lifetime. The present disclosure addresses the need to distribute digital information through various commercial transactions, wherein the lifetime of the distributed digital information is limited to a predetermined period of time. The present disclosure discloses systems and methods for the distribution of digital information on limited life optical media, wherein the limited life optical media includes a mechanism that physically and/or chemically limits the effective life of the digital information.