The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube electron emitter, including: forming a carbon nanotube film; performing densification by dipping the carbon nanotube film in a solvent; cutting an area of the carbon nanotube film into a pointed shape or a line shape; and fixing the cutting area of the carbon nanotube film arranged between at least two metal members to face upwards with lateral pressure.

Disclosed is an X-ray source, including: a cathode; an anode positioned on the cathode so as to face the cathode; emitters formed on the cathode; a gate electrode positioned between the cathode and the anode and including openings at positions corresponding to those of the emitters; an insulating spacer formed between the gate and the anode; and a coating layer formed on an internal wall of the insulating spacer, and including a material having a lower secondary electron emission coefficient than that of the insulating spacer.

One or more example embodiments relates to an X-ray source comprising a grid voltage unit including an interface configured to receive a control signal. The grid voltage unit is configured to regulate, via regulation of a first grid voltage at a first grid and via regulation of a second grid voltage at a second grid, a charge quantity available in a capacitor and a generator current as a function of the control signal.

Embodiments of the disclosed system and method provide for generating a multiple-energy X-ray pulse. A beam of electrons is generated with an electron gun and modulated prior to injection into an accelerating structure to achieve at least a first and second specified beam current amplitude over the course of respective beam current temporal profiles. A radio frequency field is applied to the accelerating structure with a specified RF field amplitude and a specified RF temporal profile. The first and second specified beam current amplitudes are injected serially, each after a specified delay, in such a manner as to achieve at least two distinct energies of electrons accelerated within the accelerating structure during a course of a single RF-pulse. The beam of electrons is accelerated by the radio frequency field within the accelerating structure to produce accelerated electrons which impinge upon a target for generating Bremsstrahlung X-rays.

A beam injector may include a cathode emitter to emit electrons and an electrode to bias at least a portion of the electrons to remain on the cathode emitter and focus the emitted electrons into an electron beam. The beam injector may also include a resistor coupled between the cathode emitter and the electrode and configured to allow self-regulation of a voltage potential on the electrode based at least in part on a current of the electron beam.

A diaphragm for restricting a cross section of an electron beam of an X-ray tube includes a base body made of a first material, which has a first cylindrical or conical diaphragm aperture, and an additional body made of a second material, which has a second cylindrical or conical diaphragm aperture. The additional body in the installed state is arranged on the side near the electron source, wherein the atomic number of the first material is greater than the atomic number of the second material. The diameters of the diaphragm apertures at the end far from the electron source are not smaller than at the end near the electron source, and the second diaphragm aperture at its end far from the electron source lies completely inside the first diaphragm aperture at its end near the electron source.

Provided is an X-ray generating tube including an electron gun, which includes a grid electrode secured to a support member. In the X-ray generating tube, thermal stress generated at a joining portion between the support member and the grid electrode is reduced, to thereby maintain a position of an electron beam on a target irradiated with the electron beam accurately for a long time. A grid electrode and a support member are secured to each other via a buffer member, which has an elastic coefficient that is lower than elastic coefficients of the grid electrode and the support member, and which is joined to the grid electrode and the support member through a first joining portion on the grid electrode side and a second joining portion on the support member side, respectively.

In the present invention, a computed tomography system, an X-ray tube used therein and a cathode assembly disposed in the X-ray tube, as well as an associated method of use, is provided that includes a gantry and the X-ray tube coupled to the gantry. The X-ray tube includes the cathode assembly having a pair of emitters for generating an electron beam, where the pair of emitters are disposed in the casing at angles with respect to one another. The X-ray tube further includes a focusing electrode for focusing the electron beam, an extraction electrode which electrostatically controls the intensity of the electron beam, a target for generating X-rays when impinged upon by the electron beam and a magnetic focusing assembly located between the cathode assembly and the target for focusing the electron beam towards the target.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube electron emitter, including: forming a carbon nanotube film; performing densification by dipping the carbon nanotube film in a solvent; cutting an area of the carbon nanotube film into a pointed shape or a line shape; and fixing the cutting area of the carbon nanotube film arranged between at least two metal members to face upwards with lateral pressure.

Provided herein is a field emission device. The field emission device includes a cathode which is connected to a negative power supply and emits electrons, an anode which is connected to a positive power supply and includes a target material receiving the electrons emitted from the cathode, and a ground electrode which is formed to face the anode and has an opening through which the electrons emitted from the cathode pass. The ground electrode is grounded so that when an arc discharge occurs due to high voltage operation of the anode, electric charge produced by the arc discharge is emitted to a ground.