X-ray emitting device comprising a focusing electrode composed of a ceramic-based material

• US 10,643,816 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Awexome Ray Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Awexomeray Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Hong Soo, Gihm, Se Hoon, Jeong, Keun Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diaz, Jose M
• Application Number:
  US16/666,852
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2201/30469 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/062 Cold cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/16 Vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/064 Details of the emitter, e.g. material or structure H01J35/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/066 Details of electron optical components, e.g. cathode cups
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/14 Arrangements for concentrating, focusing, or directing the cathode ray
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/147 Spot size control

Abstract

The present invention provides an X-Ray emitting device that comprises a focusing electrode composed of a ceramic-based material, which can be manufactured by a simple process and is excellent in durability.

Claims

1. An X-ray emitting device, which comprises an electron transfer part in the form of a tube, which comprises a first base end, a first front end, and a first hollow part extending between the first base end and the first front end;

an electron focusing part in the form of a tube, which comprises a second base end, a second front end, and a second hollow part extending between the second base end and the second front end;

an electron transfer channel formed by the coupling of the electron transfer part and the electron focusing part in which the first hollow part and the second hollow part are communicated;

an emitter part comprising an emitter that emits electrons in the electron transfer channel; and

an X-ray emitting part installed at the first front end, which emits an X-ray generated by collision with an electron that passes through the electron transfer channel outside the electron transfer channel,

wherein the electron focusing part is composed of an electrically conductive ceramic-based material.

2. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, which further comprises a ceramic-based sealing material, which is applied between the adjacent sides of the electron transfer part and the electron focusing part to bond and seal the adjacent sides.

3. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the electron transfer part is composed of a ceramic-based material comprising O and further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Cr, Mg, Y, and Zr;

and

the electron focusing part is composed of an electrically conductive ceramic-based material comprising at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Sn, Ga, In, Tl, As, Pb, Cd, Ba, Ce, Co, Fe, Gd, La, Mo, Nb, Pr, Sr, Ta, Ti, V, W, Y, Zr, Si, Sc, Ni, Al, Zn, Mg, Li, Ge, Rb, K, Hf, and Cr; and

at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, C, O, S, P, and N.

4. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the electron focusing part is a focusing electrode, which focuses electrons emitted from the emitter part in random directions and reaching the electron focusing part to guide the electrons in the form of an electron beam directed in one direction to the electron transfer part, and the emitter of the emitter part is located in the second hollow part.

5. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the emitter part comprises an electrically conductive emitter holder to which the emitter is seated and secured and a vacuum tube connected to the emitter holder, and the emitter holder is located in the second hollow part.

6. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the X-ray emitting part comprises a metal target plate and a top cap,

wherein the metal target plate comprises a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the central portion of the first side is exposed to the electron transfer channel, and the peripheral portion of the first side excluding the central portion of the first side is joined to the end of the electron transfer part by brazing, and

wherein the top cap comprises an opening to expose the central portion of the second side to the outside of the electron transfer channel and is joined to the peripheral portion of the second side by brazing while it is in contact with the peripheral portion of the second side, excluding the central portion of the second side, and the lateral side of the metal target plate to surround them.

7. The X-ray emitting device of claim 6, wherein the metal target plate of the X-ray emitting part is joined to the first front end by brazing to seal the first front end, and

the second hollow part is in a sealed structure while the emitter and the emitter holder of the emitter part are located in the second hollow part.

8. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein a first tube groove having a structure recessed in the direction of the outer peripheral side of the electron transfer part is formed along the inner peripheral side of the electron transfer part on at least a part of the inner peripheral side of the electron transfer part adjacent to the first base end.

9. The X-ray emitting device of claim 8, wherein a first tube arm having a structure recessed in the direction of the inner peripheral side of the electron focusing part is formed along the outer peripheral side of the electron focusing part on at least a part of the outer peripheral side of the electron focusing part adjacent to the second front end.

10. The X-ray emitting device of claim 9, wherein the first tube groove and the first tube arm are complementarily engaged.

11. The X-ray emitting device of claim 10, wherein a ceramic-based sealing material is applied between the complementarily engaged sides of the first tube groove and the first tube arm to bond and seal the complementarily engaged sides.

12. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the electron focusing part further comprises an annular flange protruding outward in the radial direction of the tube from the outer peripheral side of the second base end,

at least a part of the electron focusing part excluding the second base end and the flange is located in the first hollow part, and

a ceramic-based sealing material is applied between the adjacent sides of the flange and the first base end to bond and seal the adjacent sides.

13. The X-ray emitting device of claim 5, which further comprises an end cap, wherein the end cap comprises a penetrating hole through which the vacuum tube of the emitter part passes and the inner peripheral side of which is joined to the vacuum tube by brazing, and the end cap is coupled to the second base end to seal the second base end.

14. The X-ray emitting device of claim 13, wherein the end cap is composed of a ceramic-based material, and a ceramic-based sealing material is applied between at least a part of the adjacent sides of the electron focusing part and the end cap to bond and seal the adjacent sides.

15. The X-ray emitting device of claim 13, wherein the end cap is composed of a ceramic-based material or an electrically conductive metal, and at least a part of the adjacent sides of the electron focusing part and the end cap are joined to each other by brazing.

16. The X-ray emitting device of claim 13, wherein a second tube arm having a structure recessed in the direction of the inner peripheral side of the electron focusing part is formed along the outer peripheral side of the electron focusing part on at least a part of the outer peripheral side of the electron focusing part adjacent to the second base end,

a groove having a complementary shape to the second tube arm is formed at the central portion of the end cap, and

a ceramic-based sealing material is applied between the complementarily engaged sides of the groove of the end cap and the second tube arm to bond and seal the complementarily engaged sides.

17. The X-ray emitting device of claim 5, wherein a third tube arm having a structure protruding inward in the radial direction of the tube is formed along the inner peripheral side of the electron focusing part on the inner peripheral side of the electron focusing part adjacent to the second base end, and

the inner peripheral side of the third tube arm and the vacuum tube are coupled by brazing to seal the second base end.

18. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the electron focusing part is a tube block formed from the ceramic-based material in a mold having a predetermined shape.

19. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the electron focusing part is formed by the hardening of a ceramic paste comprising a ceramic-based material on a part of the inner peripheral side adjacent to the first base end and the first base end.

20. The X-ray emitting device of claim 19, wherein the electron focusing part comprises a closing part formed by the hardening of a ceramic paste comprising a ceramic-based material on a part of the outer peripheral side adjacent to the first base end.

21. The X-ray emitting device of claim 2, wherein the ceramic-based sealing material has an adhesive strength of 1 N/mm² to 50 N/mm² to a ceramic-based material.

22. The X-ray emitting device of claim 21, wherein the electron transfer part comprises a ceramic-based material comprising O and further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Cr, Mg, Y, and Zr.

23. The X-ray emitting device of claim 1, wherein the emitter is a carbon nanotube sheet that comprises carbon nanotubes.