The disclosed embodiments relate to a charged particle source module for generating and emitting a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, comprising: a frame including a first frame part, a second frame part, and one or more rigid support members which are arranged between said first frame part and said second frame part; a charged particle source arrangement for generating a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, wherein said charged particle source arrangement, such as an electron source, is arranged at said second frame part; and a power connecting assembly arranged at said first frame part, wherein said charged particle source arrangement is electrically connected to said connecting assembly via electrical wiring.

An electron gun may include a cathode with an emitting surface configured to emit electrons. The cathode may include a through hole that goes through the emitting surface and is configured to allow back-streaming electrons of the emitted electrons to pass through. The electron gun may also include an anode configured to attract the emitted electrons from the cathode to the anode and focus the emitted electrons into an electron beam. The electron gun may also include a grid structure configured to facilitate the focusing of the emitted electrons, the grid structure being positioned corresponding to the through hole.

An electron source (2) for generating an electron beam (8) having a cathode (1) and an anode (4) in the form of a graphene layer (6, 12) epitaxially grown on a silicon carbide substrate (5). The invention is suitable for monolithic preparation of a miniaturized source of a high-energy focused electron beam, including its use as an on-chip X-ray source. All components can be prepared from or on a single silicon carbide chip.

A cathode assembly component (CC) for X-ray imaging, comprising a monolithic outer shell (OS) with electron optical functionality and, insertable in said shell, an insulator structure (INS) for two or more electrodes.

Various methods and systems are provided for a cathode of an X-ray imaging system. A method for fabricating the cathode comprises machining a plurality of focusing features on a focusing element and welding the focusing element to a base assembly.

A method is provided for forming a three-dimensional article through successively depositing individual layers of powder material that are fused together so as to form the article, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least one electron beam source emitting an electron beam for at least one of heating or fusing the powder material, where the electron beam source comprises a cathode, an anode, and a Wehnelt cup between the cathode and anode; providing a guard ring between the Wehnelt cup and the anode and in close proximity to the Wehnelt cup, where the guard ring is having an aperture which is larger than an aperture of the Wehnelt cup; protecting the cathode and/or the Wehnelt cup against vacuum arc discharge energy currents when forming the three-dimensional article by providing the guard ring with a higher negative potential than the Wehnelt cup and cathode.

A permanent-magnet particle beam apparatus and method incorporating a non-magnetic portion for tunability are provided. The permanent-magnet particle beam apparatus includes a particle beam emitter that emits a charged particle beam, and includes a set of permanent magnets forming a magnetic field for controlling condensing of the charged particle beam. The permanent-magnet particle beam apparatus further includes a non-magnetic electrical conductor component situated with the set of permanent magnets to control a kinetic energy of the charged particle beam moving through the magnetic field.

In the present invention, a cathode assembly for an X-ray tube is provided including a cathode cup, a pair of emitters disposed within the cup and each configured to emit an electron beam therefrom and an electrode spaced from the pair of emitters and configured to affect the shape and/or intensity of the electron beams emitted by the pair of emitters. The electrode includes a rod extending across a central aperture defined within the electrode that enables the electrode to grid or focus the electron beam or beams emitted from the emitters using a bias voltage between +10 kV and −10 kV.

Provided are an on-chip micro electron source and manufacturing method thereof. The on-chip micro electron source is provided with a heat conductive layer (10), and at least one electrode (122) in the same pair of electrodes is connected with the heat conductive layer (10) via a through hole (111) of an insulating layer, such that the heat generated by the on-chip micro electron source can be dissipated through the electrode (122) and the heat conductive layer (10), thereby significantly improving the heat dissipation ability of the on-chip electron source. Therefore, the on-chip micro electron source is capable of integrating multiple single electron sources on the same substrate to form an electron source integration array with a high integration level, enabling the on-chip electron source to have high overall emission current, further meeting more application requirements. The on-chip micro electron source can be widely applied to various electronic devices involving electron sources, for example, X-ray tubes, microwave tubes, flat-panel displays and the like.

Provided are an on-chip miniature electron source and a method for manufacturing the same. The on-chip miniature electron source includes: a thermal conductive layer; an insulating layer provided on the thermal conductive layer, where the insulating layer is made of a resistive-switching material, and at least one through hole is provided in the insulating layer; and at least one electrode pair provided on the insulating layer, where at least one electrode of the electrode pair is in contact with and connected to the thermal conductive layer via the through hole, where there is a gap between two electrodes of the electrode pair, and a tunnel junction is formed within a region of the insulating layer under the gap. Thus, heat generated by the on-chip micro electron source can be dissipated through the electrode and the thermal conductive layer, thereby significantly improving heat dissipation ability of the on-chip miniature electron source.