An X-ray generator capable of reliably reducing an X-ray focal spot size without depending on the focal spot size of an electron beam on a target. Providing, within the irradiation range of an electron beam B of a target laminated structure 3 comprising a target 2 and an X-ray irradiation window 1, a low X-ray absorptivity region 3a of localized low X-ray absorptivity in the irradiation direction of the electron beam B results in the suppression of emission to the outside of X-rays from among the X-rays generated as a result of the irradiation of the electron beam B onto the target 2 that are from regions other than the low X-ray absorptivity region 3a, and an X-ray focal spot of a size corresponding to the size of the low X-ray absorptivity region 3a is obtained regardless of the size of the irradiation region of the electron beam B.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method that includes colliding a laser with an electron beam to produce backscattered x-rays while the electron beam is traversing a circular arc. This backscattering process is inverse Compton scattering (ICS). ICS x-rays are emitted in the same direction as the electrons. Because this ICS direction is changing as a function of time, the position of the x-ray beam on a detector will change depending on the timing of electron/laser collision. This position change is easily detected and converted to a timing measurement sensitive at the femtosecond scale, converting a very difficult timing measurement of laser pulse, electron pulse, and x-ray pulse synchronization into a simple and robust position measurement.

An X-ray imaging method including the following steps is provided. An X-ray source is provided, wherein the X-ray source includes a housing, a cathode, and an anode target. The housing has an end window. The cathode is disposed in the housing, and the anode target is disposed beside the end window. The cathode is caused to provide an electron beam. A portion of the electron beam hits at least a part of areas of the anode target to generate an X-ray and the X-ray is emitted out of the housing through the end window. The X-ray is caused to irradiate an object to generate X-ray image information. An image detector is used to receive the X-ray image information.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method that includes colliding a laser with an electron beam to produce backscattered x-rays while the electron beam is traversing a circular arc. This backscattering process is inverse Compton scattering (ICS). ICS x-rays are emitted in the same direction as the electrons. Because this ICS direction is changing as a function of time, the position of the x-ray beam on a detector will change depending on the timing of electron/laser collision. This position change is easily detected and converted to a timing measurement sensitive at the femtosecond scale, converting a very difficult timing measurement of laser pulse, electron pulse, and x-ray pulse synchronization into a simple and robust position measurement.

An X-ray imaging apparatus and a consumption level estimation method for an X-ray source, which estimate the consumption level of an X-ray source without measuring grid voltage. An X-ray control part includes: a tube current value setting part setting a tube current value supplied to an X-ray source; a tube current value measurement part measuring a cathode current value as the tube current value by a cathode current detector; a time measurement part measuring the time when the tube current value is set by the tube current value setting part and the time when the tube current value measured by the tube current value measurement part reaches the set value; and a consumption level estimation part estimating the consumption level of a cathode in the X-ray source based one the time until the tube current value reaches the set value after the tube current value has been set.

According to one embodiment, in an X-ray tube, an electron convergence cup has a first surface located closer to the anode, and an electron convergence groove opening on the first surface and housing a filament. The first surface has a first edge located on the opening, and a second edge located on the opening and opposite to the first edge in a first direction. The first edge is closer to an outer peripheral part than the second edge is. When the distance between the first edge and the filament in the first direction is defined as a first distance and the distance between the second edge and the filament in the first direction is defined as a second distance, the first distance is shorter than the second distance.

The disclosure relates to a rotating-anode bearing for an X-ray tube comprising a rotor shaft extending along a longitudinal axis from a first axial end to a second axial end and supported to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis; wherein the rotor shaft has an anode holder in the area of the first axial end; and the anode holder comprises a flange which has a larger diameter than at least an adjacent section of the rotor shaft. The rotating-anode bearing according to the disclosure wherein the rotor shaft together with the flange is made as an integrally forged part.

A system for converting an electron beam into a photon beam includes an electron accelerator configured for generating an electron beam of accelerated electrons along an irradiation axis (Z); a scanning unit; a focusing unit for forming a focused beam converging towards a first focusing point (Fx) located on the irradiation axis (Z); a converting unit located between the focusing unit and the first focusing point (Fx), and comprising one or more bremsstrahlung converters, configured for converting the focused beam into a photon beam, wherein the one or more bremsstrahlung converters are curved such that the focused beam intersects each of the one or more bremsstrahlung converters with an intersecting angle comprised between 65° and 115° at all points, preferably between 75° and 105° at all points; and a target holder configured for holding a target.

An X-ray imaging apparatus and a consumption level estimation method for an X-ray source, which estimate the consumption level of an X-ray source without measuring grid voltage. An X-ray control part includes: a tube current value setting part setting a tube current value supplied to an X-ray source; a tube current value measurement part measuring a cathode current value as the tube current value by a cathode current detector; a time measurement part measuring the time when the tube current value is set by the tube current value setting part and the time when the tube current value measured by the tube current value measurement part reaches the set value; and a consumption level estimation part estimating the consumption level of a cathode in the X-ray source based one the time until the tube current value reaches the set value after the tube current value has been set.

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.