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 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.

System and method for imaging an integrated circuit (IC). The imaging system comprises an x-ray source including a plurality of spatially and temporally addressable electron sources, an x-ray detector arranged such that incident x-rays are oriented normal to an incident surface of the x-ray detector and a three-axis stage arranged between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector, the three-axis stage configured to have mounted thereon an integrated circuit through which x-rays generated by the x-ray source pass during operation of the imaging system. The imaging system further comprises at least one controller configured to move the three-axis stage during operation of the imaging system and selectively activate a subset of the electron sources during movement of the three-axis stage to acquire a set of intensity data by the x-ray detector as the three-axis stage moves along a three-dimensional trajectory.

System and method for nanoscale X-ray imaging of biological specimen. The imaging system comprises an X-ray source including a plurality of spatially and temporally addressable electron sources, an X-ray detector arranged such that incident X-rays are oriented normal to an incident surface of the X-ray detector and a stage arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, the stage configured to have mounted thereon a biological specimen through which X-rays generated by the X-ray source pass during operation of the imaging system. The imaging system further comprises at least one controller configured to move the stage during operation of the imaging system and selectively activate a subset of the electron sources during movement of the stage to acquire a set of intensity data by the X-ray detector as the stage moves along a three-dimensional trajectory.

A radiation source of a mammography apparatus includes plural first radiation tubes and one second radiation tube. The first radiation tubes are used for tomosynthesis imaging. In contrast, the second radiation tube is used for pre-imaging which is performed before the tomosynthesis imaging in order to set the irradiation conditions of radiation in the tomosynthesis imaging. The first radiation tubes are provided at plural positions where the focuses of the radiation are set so as to be arranged in a linear shape or an arc shape at equal intervals. The second radiation tube is provided at a position that is offset from the plural positions where the first radiation tubes are provided to a rear side which is a side opposite to the irradiation side of the radiation.

The present disclosure provides a reliable X-ray generating tube that forms a focus with a stable size and shape. The X-ray generating tube includes an electron gun including an electron emitting portion, a plurality of grid electrodes, and an insulating support member that supports the plurality of grid electrodes. The electron gun includes a conductive section that hides the insulating support member to prevent the insulating support member from being directly viewed from an electron through path of electrons emitted from the electron emitting portion and passing through the grid electrodes.

Controlling total emission current of an electron emitting construct in an x-ray emitting device by providing a cathode, providing multiple active areas each active area having a gated cone electron source, including multiple emitter tips arranged in an array, a gate electrode, and a gate interconnect lead connected to the gate electrode, providing an x-ray emitting construct comprising an anode, the anode being an x-ray target, situating the x-ray emitting construct facing the active areas face each other, selecting a set of active areas, and activating selected active areas by conductively connecting a voltage source to their associated the gate electrode interconnect lead.

A tomosynthesis system has an x-ray source with an addressable array of electron emitting sections on the cathode. The x-ray source moves rotationally about an imaging target, such as a breast. During the rotation, x-rays are emitting from the x-ray source while the x-ray source continues to move. During the emission of x-rays, different subsets of electron-emitting sections of the addressable array are activated to compensate for movement of the x-ray source. By activating the different subsets of electron-emitting sections, an effective focal spot of the x-ray position appears to retain the same shape, size, and position from the perspective of the imaging target, despite movement of the x-ray source itself.

Methods and systems for realizing a high radiance x-ray source based on a high density electron emitter array are presented herein. The high radiance x-ray source is suitable for high throughput x-ray metrology and inspection in a semiconductor fabrication environment. The high radiance X-ray source includes an array of electron emitters that generate a large electron current focused over a small anode area to generate high radiance X-ray illumination light. In some embodiments, electron current density across the surface of the electron emitter array is at least 0.01 Amperes/mm.sup.2, the electron current is focused onto an anode area with a dimension of maximum extent less than 100 micrometers, and the spacing between emitters is less than 5 micrometers. In another aspect, emitted electrons are accelerated from the array to the anode with a landing energy less than four times the energy of a desired X-ray emission line.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube includes an anode target, a cathode including a first filament and a converging electrode, and a vacuum envelope. The converging electrode includes a flat front surface, a flat first surface, a first groove portion, and a pair of first protruding portions. The pair of first protruding portions is formed to protrude from the first surface toward the front surface and sandwich the first groove portion in a first length direction. An upper surface is formed of a plurality of flat inclined surfaces.