Embodiments of the invention provide a conductive coating on an insulator of an x-ray tube and a method for applying the conductive coating. The method may use a first process, such as brazing, to join a support to the insulator and a second process, such as vapor deposition, to apply the conductive coating onto a substrate surface of the insulator. The second process may be carried out after the first process without any damage to x-ray tube insulator assembly.

Electrons can rebound from an x-ray tube target, causing electrical-charge build-up on an inside of the x-ray tube. The charge build-up can increase voltage gradients inside of the x-ray tube, resulting in arcing failure of the x-ray tube. Also, the electrical charge can build unevenly on internal walls of the x-ray tube, causing an undesirable shift of the electron-beam. An x-ray tube (10 or 20) with multiple protrusions (19) on an interior wall of a drift-tube (18) can reduce this electrical-charge build-up. The protrusions (19) can reflect stray electrons back to the anode target (14), thus suppressing backscatter. Each protrusion (19) can have a peak (19.sub.p) extending into the hole (18.sub.h), and receding to a base (19.sub.b) farther from the electron-beam, on an entry-side (19.sub.en) nearest the drift-tube-entry (18.sub.en) and on an exit-side (19.sub.ex) nearest the drift-tube-exit (18.sub.ex).

Electrons can rebound from an x-ray tube target, causing electrical-charge build-up on an inside of the x-ray tube. The charge build-up can increase voltage gradients inside of the x-ray tube, resulting in arcing failure of the x-ray tube. Also, the electrical charge can build unevenly on internal walls of the x-ray tube, causing an undesirable shift of the electron-beam. An x-ray tube (10 or 20) with multiple protrusions (19) on an interior wall of a drift-tube (18) can reduce this electrical-charge build-up. The protrusions (19) can reflect stray electrons back to the anode target (14), thus suppressing backscatter. Each protrusion (19) can have a peak (19.sub.p) extending into the hole (18.sub.h), and receding to a base (19.sub.b) farther from the electron-beam, on an entry-side (19.sub.en) nearest the drift-tube-entry (18.sub.en) and on an exit-side (19.sub.en) nearest the drift-tube-exit (18.sub.ex).

During operation of a reflection target x-ray source, heat must be removed from many components. The electron beam must be steered to the target and may interact with structures along this path. There is also heat generated in the target itself. This can be excessive, since only a very small percentage of the electron beam's energy is transformed into x-rays. Finally, the x-rays must exit the vacuum through the window, which can also be heated both by the x-rays, reflected electrons, and radiant heat from the target. A water cooled reflective x-ray source provides for water or other fluid cooling of the centering aperture, x-ray target, and/or exit window.

Provided is a target assembly for an x-ray apparatus comprising a target housing and an entrance path formed in an entrance part of the target housing for accepting an incident electron beam, as well as a target member for generating x-rays under electron beam illumination through the entrance path and an exit path formed in an exit part of the target housing for allowing generated x-rays to exit the target assembly, the exit path being covered by an x-ray transmissive window. In the assembly, the exit path comprises an exit bore formed in the exit part which is configured to limit the generation of x-rays by impact of scattered electrons, which have been reflected from the target member, onto an inside of the bore. Also provided is a target assembly, an x-ray apparatus, a structure measurement apparatus, a structure measurement method, and a method of modifying a target assembly.

A system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; an anode support structure penetrating the vacuum enclosure and including a plurality of first cooling passages; and an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure, coupled to and supported by the anode support structure, and including: a target; and a plurality of second cooling passages; wherein: each of the second cooling passages is coupled to a corresponding first cooling passage; and the anode is coupled to the anode support structure on a side of the anode different from a side of the anode including the target and different from axial ends of the anode on a major axis of the anode.

During operation of a reflection target x-ray source, heat must be removed from many components. The electron beam must be steered to the target and may interact with structures along this path. There is also heat generated in the target itself. This can be excessive, since only a very small percentage of the electron beam's energy is transformed into x-rays. Finally, the x-rays must exit the vacuum through the window, which can also be heated both by the x-rays, reflected electrons, and radiant heat from the target. A water cooled reflective x-ray source provides for water or other fluid cooling of the centering aperture, x-ray target, and/or exit window.

Embodiments include a system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; an anode support structure penetrating the vacuum enclosure and including a plurality of first cooling passages; and an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure, coupled to and supported by the anode support structure, and including: a target; and a plurality of second cooling passages; wherein: each of the second cooling passages is coupled to a corresponding first cooling passage; the anode is coupled to the anode support structure on a side of the anode different from a side of the anode including the target and different from axial ends of the anode on a major axis of the anode; and the anode is a linear anode.

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 component part in a vacuum area of an X-ray tube with an opening through which an electron beam is guided. The component part includes a base body made of a first material, wherein the first material is a metal. Arranged on a surface forming the opening is a second material having an atomic number which is smaller than an atomic number of the first material. A target support is attached to an end of the component part. The target support supports a target which is aligned with a lens diaphragm formed at the end of the component part. The target support has a base body made of a first material which is a metal, and a second material formed on a surface of the base body that is selectively exposed to the electron beam and which extends between the target and the lens diaphragm.