Disclosed is an electron beam generation source including: an electron discharge part extending on a desired axis and configured to discharge electrons; a movable part connected to one end of the electron discharge part; a support part configured to support the movable part to be movable along the axis; and a tension holding part configured to hold tension of the electron discharge part by applying a pressing force or a tensile force to the movable part. The movable part and the tension holding part are disposed on the axis.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube device includes a cathode which emits an electron in a direction of an electron path, an anode target which faces the cathode and includes a target surface generating an X-ray, a vacuum envelope which accommodates the cathode and the anode target and is sealed in a vacuum-tight manner, and a quadrupole magnetic field generation unit which forms a magnetic field when direct current is supplied from an electric source, is eccentrically provided with respect to a straight line accordance with the electron path outside the vacuum envelope, and includes a quadrupole surrounding a circumference of a part of the electron path.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube device includes a cathode which emits an electron in a direction of an electron path, an anode target which faces the cathode and includes a target surface generating an X-ray, a vacuum envelope which accommodates the cathode and the anode target and is sealed in a vacuum-tight manner, and a quadrupole magnetic field generation unit which forms a magnetic field when direct current is supplied from an electric source, is eccentrically provided with respect to a straight line accordance with the electron path outside the vacuum envelope, and includes a quadrupole surrounding a circumference of a part of the electron path.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube device includes an anode target including a target surface and a cathode including a plurality of electron generation sources configured to emit the electrons, a vacuum envelope configured to house the cathode and the anode target and internally sealed in a vacuum airtight manner, and a quadrupole magnetic-field generator configured to form a magnetic field by being supplied with a current from a power source, the quadrupole magnetic-field generator being installed on an outer side of the vacuum envelope and constituted of a quadrupole surrounding a periphery of electron orbits of the electrons emitted simultaneously from each of the plurality of electron generation sources.

A cathode assembly design is provided that includes two flat emitters, a longer emitter filament and a shorter emitter filament. In one implementation the focal spot sizes produced by the long and short emitters overlap over a range. Thus, one emitter filament may be suitable for generating small and concentrated focal spot sizes while the other emitter filament is suitable for generating small and large focal spots sizes.

In a vacuum chamber (1), an emitter (3) and a target (7) are opposed to each other. A guard electrode (5) is disposed around an outer circumference of an electron generating portion (31) of the emitter (3). A supporting part (4) supports the emitter (3) movably in an end-to-end direction of the vacuum chamber (1). Reforming treatment is performed on the guard electrode (5) by operating the supporting part (4), moving the emitter (3) to an open end (21) side (non-discharge position) and applying a voltage to repeatedly effect discharge on the guard electrode (5) in a state where field emission from the electron generation portion (31) is suppressed. After the reforming treatment, the supporting part (4) is again operated. The emitter (3) is moved to an open end (22) side (discharge position) and placed in a state where field emission from the electron generation portion (31) is allowed.

An x-ray tube assembly includes an x-ray tube with a vacuum envelope in which an emitter and an anode are arranged. The emitter is configured to be heated by an external coil emitter heating current supply. The emitter is configured as a flat emitter and an adaptation circuit is arranged between the flat emitter and the coil emitter heating current supply. A coil-emitter-based x-ray tube assembly may be replaced by a flat emitter-based x-ray tube assembly without constructional changes.

opening edge surface (45a) of an emitter supporting unit female screw bore (45) provided at an emitter supporting unit (4) extends along radial direction of the emitter supporting unit female screw bore (45). An emitter supporting unit operation hole (32) provided at a flange portion (30a) of a vacuum enclosure (11) has shape into which one selected from a position adjustment shaft (6) and a pressing shaft (9) can be inserted from their shaft tip sides. The position adjustment shaft is provided, on an outer circumferential surface of its tip (61), with a tip side male screw portion (61a) that can be screwed into the emitter supporting unit female screw bore (45). The pressing shaft has, at its tip (91), a tip surface (91a) having a larger diameter than an opening diameter of the emitter supporting unit female screw bore (45) and extending along radial direction of the pressing shaft.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube assembly includes a cathode includes a first non-magnetic metal member having high electrical conductivity, an anode target includes a second non-magnetic metal member having high electrical conductivity, a vacuum envelope having depressed portion depressed, and a first magnetic deflector provided outside the vacuum envelope, includes first magnetic pole pair generating the alternating magnetic field, the first magnetic pole pair being provided in close vicinity to a wall surface of the depressed portion.

A vacuum container is configured so that an opening on one side and an opening on another side in the longitudinal direction of a cylindrical insulating body are sealed with an emitter unit and a target unit respectively; and a vacuum chamber is provided on the inner peripheral side of the insulating body. The emitter unit is provided with: a moving body located on the one side in the longitudinal direction in the vacuum chamber and supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction via a bellows; and a guard electrode located on the outer peripheral side of the moving body. An emitter section having an electron generating section is formed at a tip section of the moving body on the other side in the longitudinal direction by subjecting the surface of the tip section to film formation processing.