An X-ray tube includes a housing, an electron gun that emits an electron beam inside the housing, a target that generates an X-ray upon an incidence of the electron beam inside the housing, and a window member that seals an opening of the housing and that transmits the X-ray. The window member is formed in a plate shape from a single crystal diamond. A [100] direction of the single crystal diamond is in an intersection relationship with a thickness direction of the window member at an angle of less than 45 degrees.

An X-ray source is provided comprising a target generator configured to generate a liquid jet having an elongated cross with a major axis and a minor axis; an electron source configured to generate an electron beam arranged to interact with the liquid jet in an interaction region to generate X-ray radiation; and an X-ray transparent window arranged to transmit X-ray radiation generated in the interaction region, wherein the X-ray transparent window is located for extraction of X-ray radiation at an angle relative to the major axis; wherein the target generator is configured to generate the liquid jet such that said jet has a thickness at the interaction region, along a propagation direction of the electron beam, that is less than an electron penetration depth of the electron beam in the liquid jet. A corresponding method for generating X-ray radiation is also provided.

An X-ray source is provided comprising a target generator configured to generate a liquid jet having an elongated cross with a major axis and a minor axis; an electron source configured to generate an electron beam arranged to interact with the liquid jet in an interaction region to generate X-ray radiation; and an X-ray transparent window arranged to transmit X-ray radiation generated in the interaction region, wherein the X-ray transparent window is located for extraction of X-ray radiation at an angle relative to the major axis; wherein the target generator is configured to generate the liquid jet such that said jet has a thickness at the interaction region, along a propagation direction of the electron beam, that is less than an electron penetration depth of the electron beam in the liquid jet. A corresponding method for generating X-ray radiation is also provided.

An x-ray tube, includes a support structure, at least two concave x-ray transmission windows, a filament and a target. The support structure has a plurality of different faces. At least two of the faces each define an opening therethrough. The two concave x-ray transmission windows are sealed to the support structure and cover a different opening. The support structure and the x-ray transmission windows define a void. The filament is emits electrons upon application of a sufficient potential difference between the filament and the x-ray transmission windows. The target is spaced away from the filament and is disposed on an interior side of the x-ray transmission windows. The target generates x-rays as a result of being impacted by electrons. Substantially all of the x-rays g exiting the x-ray tube pass through the concave x-ray transmission windows.

According to some aspects, an x-ray source is provided. The x-ray source comprises an electron source configured to generate electrons, a primary target arranged to receive electrons from the electron source to produce broadband x-ray radiation in response to electrons impinging on the primary target, a secondary to produce monochromatic x-ray radiation via fluorescence in response to absorbing incident broadband x-ray radiation emitted by the primary target, an x-ray window positioned between the primary target and the secondary target that allows broadband x-ray radiation to pass through the x-ray window to impinge on the secondary target, and an electron shield positioned between the primary target and the x-ray window to absorb electrons back-scattered from the primary target to prevent the back-scattered electrons from impinging on the x-ray window.

According to some aspects, an x-ray source is provided. The x-ray source comprises an electron source configured to generate electrons, a primary target arranged to receive electrons from the electron source to produce broadband x-ray radiation in response to electrons impinging on the primary target, a secondary to produce monochromatic x-ray radiation via fluorescence in response to absorbing incident broadband x-ray radiation emitted by the primary target, an x-ray window positioned between the primary target and the secondary target that allows broadband x-ray radiation to pass through the x-ray window to impinge on the secondary target, and an electron shield positioned between the primary target and the x-ray window to absorb electrons back-scattered from the primary target to prevent the back-scattered electrons from impinging on the x-ray window.

An X-ray generation device includes: a housing; an electron gun including an electron-emitting unit that emits an electron inside the housing; a target that generates an X-ray upon an incidence of the electron inside the housing; a window member that seals an opening of the housing and that transmits the X-ray; a tube voltage application unit that applies a tube voltage between the electron-emitting unit and the target; and a magnetic field-forming unit for deflecting the electron by forming a magnetic field between the electron-emitting unit and the target. A thickness of the target has a distribution, and the target is disposed such that the electron is incident on a portion of the target which is relatively thinner in the thickness when the tube voltage is relatively low than when the tube voltage is relatively high.

An X-ray generation device includes: a housing; an electron gun including an electron-emitting unit that emits an electron inside the housing; a target that generates an X-ray upon an incidence of the electron inside the housing; a window member that seals an opening of the housing and that transmits the X-ray; a tube voltage application unit that applies a tube voltage between the electron-emitting unit and the target; and a magnetic field-forming unit for deflecting the electron by forming a magnetic field between the electron-emitting unit and the target. A thickness of the target has a distribution, and the target is disposed such that the electron is incident on a portion of the target which is relatively thinner in the thickness when the tube voltage is relatively low than when the tube voltage is relatively high.

In some embodiments, a system may include an X-ray tube assembly having an anode disk assembly. The system may include a motor configured to rotate the anode disk assembly. The system may include one or more pumps configured to draw a vacuum in the X-ray tube assembly. The system may include a cooling system configured to cool the anode disk assembly. In some embodiments, a method may include drawing a vacuum in an X-ray tube assembly with one or more pumps. The method may include rotating an anode disk assembly of the X-ray tube assembly. The method may include cooling the anode disk assembly with a cooling system. The method may include activating a power supply to produce an electron beam. The electron beam may interact with an X-ray generating layer of the anode disk assembly to produce an X-ray beam oriented to impinge on a sample.

A mounted x-ray window 10 and 20 can include an x-ray window 18 mounted on the flange 11f of a housing 11. The x-ray window 18 can include the following layers: a top strong layer 17, a stress-relief layer 16, a bottom strong layer 15, an adhesive layer 14 then a support ring 13. These layers can have a material composition and thickness for optimizing x-ray window low gas permeability, low outgassing, high strength, low visible and infrared light transmission, high x-ray flux, low atomic number materials, corrosion resistance, high reliability, and low-cost.