An x-ray apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that includes a window for exit of x-rays. Electrons are generated at a cathode within the vacuum chamber and accelerated toward a target anode associated with the window. An x-ray generating layer is included as a surface of the target anode to receive the electrons emitted by the cathode and to create x-rays. A blocking path blocks over 70% of the free electrons reaching said target anode from continuing on to exit through the window, while allowing x-rays leaving the x-ray generating layer to continue along the selectively blocking path to exit through the window. The x-ray apparatus is capable of operating at low voltage and relatively high power to reduce the necessary shielding and the corresponding weight of the apparatus yet allow more ready absorption of x-rays by items being irradiated.

A method is for spatially influencing a focal spot of an X-ray source that generates X-ray radiation, to an associated X-ray source, to an associated system and to an associated computer program product. The method according to at least one embodiment includes: producing a focal spot on an anode by way of an electron emitter including a plurality of emitter segments, individually controllable to emit electrons; determining at least one actual value of a spatial extent and/or of a position of the produced focal spot; comparing the at least one actual value with a specified reference value of the focal spot; and controlling the emitter segments based upon the comparison of the at least one actual value and the reference value such that the at least one actual value converges toward the reference value, thereby spatially influencing the focal spot of the X-ray source that generates X-ray radiation.

An X-ray tube including a vacuum vessel, a cathode and an anode fixedly disposed inside the vacuum vessel, and a rotary mechanism that rotates the vacuum vessel, where the cathode is disposed on the circumference with a rotary shaft of the rotary mechanism as its center and includes multiple cathode parts that can individually be turned ON/OFF, and where the anode includes parts opposite to the multiple cathode parts, respectively.

A multi-pixel x-ray source is provided. The x-ray source includes a plurality of transmission target assemblies. The transmission target assembly includes a tungsten target and a diamond substrate. The substrate includes a first transmission surface and a second transmission surface opposite first transmission surface. The substrate further includes a first side surface and a second side surface disposed between the first and second transmission surfaces. The target covers the first transmission surface of the substrate. The transmission target assembly further includes a base. The base surrounds the first and second side surfaces of substrate, exposing a collimator surface of the second transmission surface and the target. The transmission target assembly is configured to transmit x-ray generated by the target through the target and the substrate.

An x-ray source for a backscatter imager can include a first electron beam (e-beam) emitter for emitting a first e-beam and at least a second e-beam emitter for emitting at least a second e-beam. The first and second e-beam emitters can be powered by a at least one power supply, and can be configured to direct the first e-beam and the second e-beam toward an anode. An interaction of the anode with the first and second e-beams produces x-rays. The x-ray source is configured to output an amount of x-rays equivalent to a conventional x-ray source that includes a single e-beam emitter. However, because the x-ray source uses at least two e-beam emitters and a single anode, the power source required to power the e-beam emitters can operate at a lower wattage than a conventional power source powering the single e-beam emitter. The x-ray source is thus lighter in weight and outputs less radiation than conventional systems with a comparable x-ray output.

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an X-ray tube including a target configured to generate X-rays in response to emission of electrons thereto, a plurality of filaments configured to emit electrons into substantially the same position on the target, and a grid used in common among the plurality of filaments; intermediate potential setting circuitry configured to set intermediate potential in a position between the plurality of filaments and the target by using the grid; and filament potential controlling circuitry configured to change one or more filaments selected from among the plurality of filaments to emit the electrons to the target, by controlling potential levels of the plurality of filaments with respect to the intermediate potential for each filament, in conjunction with switching of X-ray tube voltage.

System and method for imaging an integrated circuit (IC). The imaging system comprises an x-ray source including a plurality of spatially and temporally addressable electron sources, an x-ray detector arranged such that incident x-rays are oriented normal to an incident surface of the x-ray detector and a three-axis stage arranged between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector, the three-axis stage configured to have mounted thereon an integrated circuit through which x-rays generated by the x-ray source pass during operation of the imaging system. The imaging system further comprises at least one controller configured to move the three-axis stage during operation of the imaging system and selectively activate a subset of the electron sources during movement of the three-axis stage to acquire a set of intensity data by the x-ray detector as the three-axis stage moves along a three-dimensional trajectory.

To achieve high quality x-ray imaging, it is important to be able to control the production of x-rays in an x-ray generator. This is achieved by an x-ray generator comprising an array of electron field emitters for producing paths of electrons, target material comprising x-ray photon producing material configured to emit x-ray photons in response to the incidence of produced electrons upon it, an array of magnetic-field generators for affecting the paths of the produced electrons from the array of electron field emitters such that one or more paths are divertable away from the x-ray photon producing material so as to reduce the production of x-ray photons by the said one or more paths of electrons, the generator further comprising a sensing circuit arranged to measure the amount of electrical charge emitted by one or more electron emitter, and a controller for controlling the array of magnetic-field generators in response to the amount of electrical charge measured.

System and method for nanoscale X-ray imaging of biological specimen. The imaging system comprises an X-ray source including a plurality of spatially and temporally addressable electron sources, an X-ray detector arranged such that incident X-rays are oriented normal to an incident surface of the X-ray detector and a stage arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, the stage configured to have mounted thereon a biological specimen through which X-rays generated by the X-ray source pass during operation of the imaging system. The imaging system further comprises at least one controller configured to move the stage during operation of the imaging system and selectively activate a subset of the electron sources during movement of the stage to acquire a set of intensity data by the X-ray detector as the stage moves along a three-dimensional trajectory.

Embodiments provide a stationary X-ray source for a multisource X-ray imaging system for tomographic imaging. The stationary X-ray source includes an array of thermionic cathodes and, in most embodiments a rotating anode. The anode rotates about a rotation axis, however the anode is stationary in the horizontal or vertical dimensions (e.g. about axes perpendicular to the rotation axis). The elimination of mechanical motion improves the image quality by elimination of mechanical vibration and source motion; simplifies system design that reduces system size and cost; increases angular coverage with no increase in scan time; and results in short scan times to, in medical some medical imaging applications, reduce patient-motion-induced blurring.