Apparatus for generating x-ray radiation in an external magnetic field

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for generating X-ray radiation in an outer magnetic field, which may be generated by a magnetic field device. The apparatus includes a cathode configured to generate an electron beam and an anode configured to retard the electrons of the electron beam and generate an X-ray beam. The apparatus further includes a device configured to generate an electric field orientated from the anode in the direction of the cathode and substantially collinear to the outer magnetic field, wherein the cathode, as an electron emitter, includes a cold cathode that passively provides free electrons by field emission.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating x-ray radiation in an external magnetic field generable by a magnetic field device, the apparatus comprising: a cathode configured to generate an electron beam; an anode configured to decelerate the electrons of the electron beam and generate an x-ray beam; and a device configured to generate an electric field directed from the anode in a direction of the cathode, wherein the electric field is substantially collinear with the external magnetic field; wherein the cathode comprises an electron emitter having a cold cathode that passively provides free electrons by field emission.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electron emitter has a linear embodiment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electron emitter has a convex surface in a cross section in relation to an axial direction of extent, wherein the convex surface extends exclusively in a direction of the anode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electron emitter has a form of a semi-cylinder in a cross section in relation to an axial direction of extent.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a substrate on which the electron emitter is arranged.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the axial direction of extent extends parallel or at an angle to a first direction extending perpendicular to a third direction of the electric field and a second direction transverse to the electric field, wherein an impact area of the anode lies in a plane that extends parallel to the second direction and at an acute angle to the first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electron emitter comprises carbon.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electron emitter has an irregular surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a voltage source configured to provide a voltage between the cathode and the anode.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a further electrode arranged between the anode and the cathode; and a voltage source configured to provide a voltage between the cathode and the further electrode.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electron emitter has a convex surface in a cross section in relation to an axial direction of extent, wherein the convex surface extends exclusively in a direction of the anode.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cathode comprises a substrate on which the electron emitter is arranged.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the axial direction of extent extends parallel or at an angle to a first direction extending perpendicular to a third direction of the electric field and a second direction transverse to the electric field, wherein an impact area of the anode lies in a plane that extends parallel to the second direction and at an acute angle to the first direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the axial direction of extent extends parallel or at an angle to a first direction extending perpendicular to a third direction of the electric field and a second direction transverse to the electric field, wherein an impact area of the anode lies in a plane that extends parallel to the second direction and at an acute angle to the first direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electron emitter has a form of a semi-cylinder in a cross section in relation to an axial direction of extent.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cathode comprises a substrate on which the electron emitter is arranged.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the axial direction of extent extends parallel or at an angle to a first direction extending perpendicular to a third direction of the electric field and a second direction transverse to the electric field, wherein an impact area of the anode lies in a plane that extends parallel to the second direction and at an acute angle to the first direction.

18. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the axial direction of extent extends parallel or at an angle to a first direction extending perpendicular to a third direction of the electric field and a second direction transverse to the electric field, wherein an impact area of the anode lies in a plane that extends parallel to the second direction and at an acute angle to the first direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cathode comprises a substrate on which the electron emitter is arranged.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Below, the disclosure is explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiment in the drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a schematic illustration of an apparatus according to an embodiment for generating x-ray radiation in an external magnetic field.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a perspective illustration of a cathode, as is used in an apparatus in accordance with FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 depicts a schematic illustration of an apparatus 1 for generating x-ray radiation 32. The apparatus 1 includes a cathode 10 and an anode 20 that is rotatable about an axis of rotation 21 (a so-called rotating anode). The anode 20 may also be embodied as a stationary anode. By way of a DC voltage source 40, which is interconnected between the cathode 10 and the anode 20, an electric voltage at a given level is applied between said cathode and said anode. As a result, an electric field that is directed from the anode in the direction of the cathode arises. The apparatus 1 is arranged in an external magnetic field 50 that is generated by a magnetic field device not illustrated in any more detail. The magnetic field lines of the magnetic field 50 and the electric field lines of the electric field, which is generated between the anode 20 and the cathode 10, extend largely collinearly. This means that the field lines of the electric field correspond to the field lines of the magnetic field 50.

(5) The arrangement of the apparatus 1 in space is defined in the present description by a coordinate system with a first direction (e.g., x-direction), a second direction (e.g., y-direction) and a third direction (e.g., z-direction). The three directions or axes are at right angles to one another in each case, e.g., the three directions or axes form a Cartesian coordinate system. In accordance therewith, the field lines of the electric field and of the magnetic field run parallel to the x-direction, while the cathode 10 and the anode 20 extend in the xy-plane.

(6) FIG. 2 depicts a magnified illustration of the cathode 10 used in the apparatus 1 in accordance with FIG. 1 in a perspective view. In order to elucidate the arrangement of the cathode 10 in the apparatus 1, FIG. 1 presents a corresponding coordinate system.

(7) The cathode 10 includes a substrate 11 and an electron emitter 12 with a respective length 15. By way of example, the substrate 11 includes a semiconductor material or a metal. The electron emitter 12 has a cross section 13 having a convex surface in relation to an axial direction of extent (e.g., an extent along the x-direction or alternatively at an angle to the x-direction and lying in the xz-plane), with the convex surface extending exclusively in the direction of the anode 20 when the cathode 10 is arranged in the apparatus 1. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the electron emitter has the form of a semi-cylinder in cross section. The reference sign 14 characterizes the surface of the electron emitter 12 from which the electrons emerge from the electron emitter on account of the prevalent electric field.

(8) In the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2, the electron emitter 12 and the substrate 11 have the same length 15. In principle, this is not required; the length of the substrate 11 may be greater than the length 15 of the electron emitter 12.

(9) The electron emitter 12 includes a substance or substances based on carbon. In particular, the electron emitter 12 may have an irregular surface. Hence, the electron emitter 12 is embodied as a cold cathode. The surface 14 of the electron emitter 12 may include carbon nanoflakes. The carbon nanoflakes may have been applied to the surface 14 of the electron emitter 12 by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The carbon nanoflakes emerge from a layer made of carbon material initially applied to the substrate 11. An electron emitter with carbon nanoflakes has a better electrical conductivity on account of its graphite structure. Moreover, an increased region for the emission of the electrons is provided. Moreover, the effect of field enhancements may be used on account of the irregular surface, as a result of which the electrons easily emerge from the material of the electron emitter.

(10) As an example of a suitable material for the electron emitter, use may be made of the material described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,034 B1 for providing a cold cathode for the use in a computer system.

(11) Referring back to FIG. 1, the cathode 10 described in FIG. 2 is arranged in the apparatus 1 in such a way that the linear electron emitter 12 extends in the direction of the x-direction of the coordinate system. Alternatively, it may also extend at an angle in relation to the x-direction, but lies in the xz-plane. Here, the electron emitter 12 is aligned relative to the anode 20 in such a way that it is arranged in a manner covering the z-direction in relation to an impact region 22 of the anode 20. The impact region 22 of the anode 20 lies in a plane extending in the direction of the y-axis and at an acute angle 23 in relation to the xy-plane of the coordinate system. The dimension of the acute angle 23 sets the size of the apparent surface from which the x-ray beam 32 emerges from the anode 20. The flatter the dimension of the angle 23, the smaller the dimension of the extent of the impact of the electron beam 30 in the z-direction if the impact of the electron beam 30 in the x-direction on the yz-plane is considered.

(12) On account of the linear form of the electron emitter 12, the impact region 22 of the anode 20 in the xy-plane is likewise only irradiated in linear form, as a result of which it is possible, overall, to provide an x-ray beam 32 extending in the x-direction from the yz-plane, the beam spot 31 of which is comparatively small and comes close to a punctiform property.

(13) The electrons leave the surface 14 of the electron emitter 12 with such a low energy that they follow the field lines of the external magnetic field 50. Here, the apparatus 1 is aligned in such a way that the path from the cathode 10 to the anode 20, and hence the intended beam direction, lies collinearly in relation to the magnetic field direction of the external magnetic field 50. As a result, a transverse movement of the electronexcept for a rotation with a very small cyclotron radius about the main propagation direction in the z-directionis practically eliminated. As a consequence, a beam spot 31 forms on the impact surface 22 of the anode 20, said beam spot corresponding to the projection of the emitting area of the magnetic field 50 and hence likewise being linear in accordance with the form of the electron emitter 12.

(14) As a result, it is possible to present a small projected area corresponding to the requirements of the focal spot size in the case of an apparatus 1 for generating x-ray radiation in an external magnetic field 50. This is promoted by the convex form of the surface 14 of the electron emitter 12, which helps the field emission at a given extraction voltage.

(15) The apparatus 1 renders it possible to generate a high electron current without there being a risk of a labile current-carrying conductor (filament) ripping. The reduction in the emitting area and hence also in the undisturbed electron current as a result of the magnetic field, as occurs in the case of a cathode with a coiled filament, does not occur in the proposed apparatus because, in any case, only the front side, (e.g., the surface 14), contributes to the electron current in the employed cold cathode. Hence, a material-specific current density remains largely uninfluenced.

(16) Because the focusing of the electron beam 30 through the electric field no longer occurs and is no longer required, it is possible to avoid the disadvantages that occur when using a hot cathode in a magnetic field.

(17) As a result, it is therefore possible to provide an apparatus 1 having a long lifetime and in which the required current density for generating the x-ray beam is achievable without impairing the service life of the component. This is rendered possible by using a cold cathode for the purposes of generating a sufficiently high current density.

(18) Although the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail by the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not restricted by the disclosed examples and the person skilled in the art may derive other variations from this without departing from the scope of protection of the disclosure. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.

(19) It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.