X-ray source having a liquid metal target

• US 20020080919A1
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ulmer, Bernd, Harding, Geoffrey, David, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 6,477,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/082 Fluids, e.g. liquids, gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/1204 of the anode
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/1262 Circulating fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/186 used as targets or X-ray converters

Abstract

The invention relates to an X-ray source that is provided with a liquid metal target and an electron source (3) for the emission of an electron beam (4) through a window (23) of a duct section (51) wherethrough the liquid metal target flows in the operating condition. The X-ray source is notably characterized in that the duct section (51) is formed by a first duct segment (10, 20) that includes the window (23) and wherethrough the liquid metal target flows, and by a second duct segment (30, 40) wherethrough a cooling medium flows and which is connected to the first duct segment in such a manner that the area in which the electron beam acts on the first duct segment is cooled.

Claims

1. An X-ray source that includes a liquid metal target and an electron source for the emission of an electron beam in a window of a duct section wherethrough the liquid metal target flows in the operating condition, characterized in that the duct section (51) is formed by a first duct segment (10, 20) that includes the window (23) and wherethrough the liquid metal target flows, as well as by a second duct segment (30, 40) wherethrough a cooling medium flows and which is connected to the first duct segment in such a manner that the area in which the electron beam acts on the first duct segment is cooled.

2. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second duct segment (10, 20;

30, 40) are situated in a plane that extends essentially perpendicularly to the direction of incidence of the electron beam and enclose an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to one another.

3. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the window in the first duct segment (10, 20) is formed by a first, essentially rectangular slit (23) that is provided with a diamond layer, the longitudinal direction of said slit extending essentially perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the liquid metal target.

4. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first duct segment (10, 20) is provided with a duct (11) in which the liquid metal target flows and which is provided with a constriction at the area of the first slit (23).

5. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the second duct segment (30, 40) is arranged between the electron source (3) and the first duct segment (10, 20) and is provided with a second, essentially rectangular slit (34a, 34b) wherethrough the electron beam is incident in the first slit (23) of the first duct segment (10, 20).

6. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the second duct segment (30, 40) includes two ducts (31, 32) for the cooling medium that extend essentially in parallel but diverge at the area of the second slit (34a) in such a manner that they enclose a surface area (35) that is shaped essentially as a segment of circle in which the second slit is situated.

7. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that an opening (34b) of the second slit (34a) is situated in a recess (43) in the external surface that is provided in the second duct segment (30, 40) and is shaped essentially as a segment of circle.

8. An X-ray source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second duct segment (10, 20;

30, 40) are connected to a common circuit for the liquid metal target, the liquid metal in the second duct segment acting as the cooling medium.

9. An X-ray apparatus that includes an X-ray source as claimed in one of the preceding claims.