A planar filament 11.sub.f can include multiple materials to increase electron emission in desired directions and to suppress electron emission in undesired directions. The filament 11.sub.f can include a core-material CM between a top-material TM and a bottom-material BM. The top-material TM can have a lowest work function WF.sub.t; the bottom-material BM can have a highest work function WF.sub.b; and the core-material CM can have an intermediate work function WF.sub.c(WF.sub.t<WF.sub.c<WF.sub.b). A width W.sub.t of the filament 11.sub.f at a top-side 31.sub.t can be greater than its width W.sub.b at a bottom-side 31.sub.b (W.sub.t>W.sub.b). This shape makes it easier to coat the edges 31.sub.e with the bottom-material BM, because the edges 31.sub.e tilt toward and partially face the sputter target. This shape also helps direct more electrons to a center of the target 14, and reduce electron emission in undesired directions.

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.

An X-ray tube that may include a cathode that is configured to generate an electron beam; an anode having a cavity that has an opening; wherein the anode is configured to receive the electron beam through the opening and to emit, through the opening, in response to the receiving of the electron beam, an X-ray beam from the opening; and electron optics that are configured to direct the electron beam towards the opening following a path that outside the cavity and in a vicinity of the opening, differs from a path of propagation the X-ray beam.

An electron gun device according to the present invention emits an electron beam by means of heating to a high temperature in a vacuum. According to the present invention, the surface of a material (108, 125), which emits an electron beam, is a hydrogenated metal that is melted and in a liquid state during a high-temperature operation; the liquid hydrogenated metal is contained in a hollow cover tube container (102, 124), which is in a solid state during the high-temperature operation, in the form of a hydrogenated liquid metal or in the form of a liquid metal before hydrogenation, and heated together with the cover tube container (102, 124) to a high temperature; subsequently, the hydrogenated liquid metal is exposed from the cover tube container (102, 124) and forms a liquid surface where gravity, the electric field and the surface tension of the liquid surface are balanced; and an electron beam is emitted from the exposed surface of the hydrogenated liquid metal.

A apparatus may include a power supply to receive a first voltage potential and output a second voltage potential that is greater than the first voltage potential and a cathode emitter to emit ions in response to application of the second voltage potential. The apparatus may also include a step down transformer to receive the second voltage potential and output a third voltage potential that is less than the second voltage potential. The apparatus may also include a heating element to, in response to application of the third voltage potential, heat the cathode emitter and lower a work function of the cathode emitter.

An x-ray source can have increased x-ray flux and can simultaneously provide characteristic peaks and from multiple, different chemical elements. The target can include multiple layers of different chemical compositions. These layers can be distinguished by a higher atomic number, a higher energy K-alpha x-ray characteristic line, and a higher density in one layer compared to another layer. The layer that is lower in these characteristics can face the x-ray window. The layers can be formed by sputter deposition.

Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

An acquisition unit of a console acquires a first radiographic image and a second radiographic image. The first radiographic image and the second radiographic image are radiographic images which are output from a radiation detector by directing a radiation source to emit first radiation and second radiation in order to perform a moving image capture mode that continuously acquires a radiographic image required for the display of a moving image according to a preset frame interval. A receiving unit receives a request signal to request the generation of an energy subtraction image referred to for diagnosis. A generation unit generates the energy subtraction image in a case in which the receiving unit receives the request signal.

An X-ray generation apparatus includes an electron gun emitting an electron beam having a circular cross-sectional shape, a magnetic focusing lens located downstream of the electron gun and focusing the electron beam while rotating the electron beam around an axis along a first direction, a magnetic quadrupole lens located downstream of the magnetic focusing lens and deforming the cross-sectional shape of the electron beam into an elliptical shape having a major axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and a minor axis along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and a target located downstream of the magnetic quadrupole lens and emitting an X-ray in response to incidence of the electron beam.

An X-ray generation apparatus includes an electron gun emitting an electron beam having a circular cross-sectional shape, a magnetic focusing lens located downstream of the electron gun and focusing the electron beam while rotating the electron beam around an axis along a first direction, a magnetic quadrupole lens located downstream of the magnetic focusing lens and deforming the cross-sectional shape of the electron beam into an elliptical shape having a major axis along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and a minor axis along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and a target located downstream of the magnetic quadrupole lens and emitting an X-ray in response to incidence of the electron beam.