A method for characterizing an electron beam in a liquid metal jet X-ray source. The method includes providing the electron beam and directing the electron beam to an interaction region; providing an electron beam dump connected to ground potential for receiving the electron beam after it has traversed the interaction region; scanning the electron beam over at least part of the interaction region; measuring X-ray radiation generated by interaction between the electron beam and the electron beam dump during the scanning to obtain an X-ray profile; and calculating an electron beam characteristic based on the X-ray profile. Also a corresponding liquid metal jet X-ray source.

Methods for maintaining a specified beam profile of an x-ray beam extracted from an x-ray target over a large range of extraction angles relative to the target. A beam of electrons is generated and directed toward a target at an angle of incidence with respect to the target, with the beam of electrons forming a focal spot corresponding to the cross-section of the electron beam. At least one of a size, shape, and orientation of the electron beam cross-section is dynamically varied as the extraction angle is varied, and the extracted x-ray beam is collimated. Dynamically varying the size, shape or orientation of the electron beam cross-section may be performed using focusing and stigmator coils.

An X-ray imaging system, including a target; an electron beam source configured to provide an electron beam for interaction with the target to generate X-ray radiation; electron optics configured to alternately direct the electron beam to at least a first and a second location on the target; an X-ray detector array configured to receive X-ray radiation generated at the first and second locations on the target; a sample position region for receiving a sample to be exposed to generated X-ray radiation, the sample position region being located in a region where X-ray radiation generated at the first location overlaps with X-ray radiation generated at the second location; and a processing unit coupled to the X-ray detector array, the processing unit being configured to create an image of a sample, positioned in the sample position region, based on the X-ray radiation originating from the first location and from the second location.

Provided are a scanning-type X-ray source and an imaging system therefor. The scanning-type X-ray source comprises a vacuum cavity (1), wherein a cathode (2) and a plurality of anode target structures (3) are arranged in the vacuum cavity (1); a gate electrode (4) is arranged in a position, close to the cathode (2), in the vacuum cavity (1); a focusing electrode (5) is arranged in a position, close to the gate electrode (4), in the vacuum cavity (1); and a deflection coil (6) is arranged in a position, close to the gate electrode (4), at the outer periphery of the vacuum cavity (1). The scanning-type X-ray source generates electron beams by using cathode (2), controls the powering-on/off of the electron beams by the gate electrode (4), and the deflection coil (6) controls the direction of motion of the electron beams, so as to complete the switching between multiple focuses.

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.

A method for characterizing an electron beam in a liquid metal jet X-ray source. The method includes providing the electron beam and directing the electron beam to an interaction region; providing an electron beam dump connected to ground potential for receiving the electron beam after it has traversed the interaction region; scanning the electron beam over at least part of the interaction region; measuring X-ray radiation generated by interaction between the electron beam and the electron beam dump during the scanning to obtain an X-ray profile; and calculating an electron beam characteristic based on the X-ray profile. Also a corresponding liquid metal jet X-ray source.

X-ray target element is comprised of a planar wafer. The planar wafer element includes a target layer and a substrate layer. The target layer is comprised of an element having a relatively high atomic number and the substrate layer is comprised of diamond. The substrate layer is configured to support the target layer and facilitate transfer of thermal energy away from the target layer.

An x-ray tube having at least one focusing cup and an anode. The x-ray tube may have a first filament positioned in a first location between the focusing cup and the anode, the first filament having a first size, and a second filament positioned in a second location between the focusing cup and anode, the second filament having a second size that is substantially the same as the first size. The x-ray tube may also include a switching mechanism configured to engage the second filament upon failure of the first filament.

An X-ray source for emitting an X-ray beam is proposed. The X-ray source comprises an anode and an emitter arrangement comprising a cathode for emitting an electron beam towards the anode and an electron optics for focusing the electron beam at a focal spot on the anode. The X-ray source further comprises a controller configured to determine a switching action of the emitter arrangement and to actuate the emitter arrangement to perform the switching action, the switching action being associated with a change of at least one of a position of the focal spot on the anode, a size of the focal spot, and a shape of the focal spot. The controller is further configured to predict before the switching action is performed, based on the determined switching action, the size and the shape of the focal spot expected after the switching action. Further, the controller is configured to actuate the electron optics to compensate for a change of the size and the shape of the focal spot induced by the switching action.

Disclosed herein is an x-ray backscatter apparatus for non-destructive inspection of a part. The x-ray backscatter apparatus comprises an x-ray source and an x-ray filter. The x-ray filter comprises a plurality of emission apertures and a detection aperture. The x-ray backscatter apparatus further comprises an x-ray intensity sensor that is fixed to the x-ray filter over the detection aperture such that any portion of an unfiltered x-ray emission filtered into the detection aperture is detected by the x-ray intensity sensor. The x-ray backscatter apparatus additionally comprises an emission alignment adjuster that is operable to adjust a position of the unfiltered x-ray emission relative to the plurality of emission apertures and the detection aperture in response to a position, relative to the detection aperture, of a peak intensity of the unfiltered x-ray emission passing into the detection aperture, detected by the x-ray intensity sensor.