Disclosed herein is a system for x-ray backscatter inspection. The system comprises an interior cavity. The system also comprises a non-conductive fluid contained within the interior cavity. The system additionally comprises a power source within the interior cavity and submerged in the non-conductive fluid. The system further comprises an x-ray cathode within the interior cavity, submerged in the non-conductive fluid, and coupled to the power source. The system also comprises an x-ray anode within the interior cavity, submerged in the non-conductive fluid, and positioned to receive an electron emission from the x-ray cathode to generate an x-ray emission. The system additionally comprises a thermoelectric cooler surrounding the interior cavity and operable to draw heat from the non-conductive fluid.

In one example, a lift assembly may exert a force on a rotatable anode of an X-ray tube. The lift assembly may include a lift shaft and a lift electromagnet. The lift shaft may be coupled to the anode and may be configured to rotate around an axis of rotation of the anode. The lift electromagnet may be configured to apply a magnetic force to the lift shaft in a radial direction. The lift electromagnet may include a first pole and a second pole oriented towards the lift shaft. Windings may be positioned around the first pole. The lift assembly may include a heat dissipating structure.

In one example, a lift assembly may exert a force on a rotatable anode of an X-ray tube. The lift assembly may include a lift shaft and a lift electromagnet. The lift shaft may be coupled to the anode and may be configured to rotate around an axis of rotation of the anode. The lift electromagnet may be configured to apply a magnetic force to the lift shaft in a radial direction. The lift electromagnet may include a first pole and a second pole oriented towards the lift shaft. Windings may be positioned around the first pole. The lift assembly may include a heat dissipating structure.

Disclosed herein is a system for x-ray backscatter inspection. The system comprises an interior cavity. The system also comprises a non-conductive fluid contained within the interior cavity. The system additionally comprises a power source within the interior cavity and submerged in the non-conductive fluid. The system further comprises an x-ray cathode within the interior cavity, submerged in the non-conductive fluid, and coupled to the power source. The system also comprises an x-ray anode within the interior cavity, submerged in the non-conductive fluid, and positioned to receive an electron emission from the x-ray cathode to generate an x-ray emission. The system additionally comprises a thermoelectric cooler surrounding the interior cavity and operable to draw heat from the non-conductive fluid.

The present specification discloses a high power continuous X-ray source having a rotating target assembly that is cooled by circulation of a liquid material in contact with the target assembly, whereby the target assembly has a front surface being impinged by electrons and a mechanism for rotating the target assembly. The cooling liquid is always in contact with at least one surface of the target for dissipating the heat generated by the energy deposited by the stream of electrons, thereby lowering the temperature of the target to allow for continuous operation.

An anode has a base member, on which an X-ray active layer is applied. A first cooling circuit with a first cooling medium extends at least in part in the base member beneath the X-ray active layer. A second cooling circuit with a second cooling medium is arranged beneath the first cooling circuit. The anode exhibits distinctly improved thermo mechanical properties.

A liquid metal or spiral groove bearing structure for an x-ray tube and associated process for manufacturing the bearing structure is provided in which journal bearing sleeve is formed with a number of structures thereon that function to dissipate heat transmitted to the sleeve during operation of the bearing assembly within the x-ray tube to minimize thermal deformation of the sleeve, thereby minimizing gap size alteration within the bearing assembly. The structures formed within the sleeve are slots disposed within the section of the sleeve in which the highest temperature gradients develop. The slots enable an increase in thermal conductance away from the sleeve while minimizing the stresses created from the deformation of the portion(s) of the sleeve between the slots.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube assembly includes a cathode, an anode target, a joint including an inflow part into which a coolant flows, a first cylindrical pipe to which the joint is connected at one end, and the anode target is joined at an outer bottom part of the other end, a second cylindrical pipe whose first end part is fitted into the inflow part, and whose second end part is arranged to eject the coolant toward the bottom part of the first cylindrical pipe, the second cylindrical pipe being placed inside the first cylindrical pipe and an elastic member provided between the first end part and the first cylindrical pipe.

Methods and systems for realizing a high speed, rotating anode based x-ray illumination source suitable for high throughput x-ray metrology are presented herein. A high speed rotating anode includes a water cooled rotating platen supported by radial and thrust air bearings employing cascaded differential pumping. A very high bending stiffness of the rotating assembly is achieved by spacing radial air bearings far apart and locating a rotary motor and thrust bearings between the radial air bearings. The high bending stiffness increases the mechanical stability of the rotating assembly during high speed operation, and thus decreases vibration at the location of impingement of the electron beam on the rotating anode material. In some embodiments, magnetic thrust bearings are employed and the air gap is controlled to maintain a desired gap over an operational range of up to three millimeters.

There is provided an X-ray source for an X-ray diffraction apparatus. The source includes a target and a filament operable to generate an X-ray beam, a vacuum chamber, outer and inner housings and a rotation mechanism. The chamber encloses the target and the filament and has a window transparent to the beam. The outer housing is mountable to the apparatus and includes outer housing openings. The inner housing encloses the chamber and is mounted to the outer housing. The inner housing includes inner housing openings positioned to be aligned with the window and the outer housing openings. The rotation mechanism is in engagement with the outer housing and the inner housing and is operable to provide a rotation between the inner outer housings between a line focus configuration, wherein the filament is parallel to the window, and a point focus configuration, wherein the filament is perpendicular to the window.