752results about "Cathode ray concentrating/focusing/directing" patented technology

An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a radiation filter having a first portion and a second portion, the first and the second portions forming a layer for filtering radiation impinging thereon, wherein the first portion is made from a first material having a first x-ray filtering characteristic, and the second portion is made from a second material having a second x-ray filtering characteristic. An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a first target material, a second target material, and an accelerator for accelerating particles towards the first target material and the second target material to generate x-rays at a first energy level and a second energy level, respectively.

The invention comprises an X-ray system that is orientated to provide X-ray images of a patient in the same orientation as viewed by a proton therapy beam, is synchronized with patient respiration, is operable on a patient positioned for proton therapy, and does not interfere with a proton beam treatment path. Preferably, the synchronized system is used in conjunction with a negative ion beam source, synchrotron, and / or targeting method apparatus to provide an X-ray timed with patient respiration and performed immediately prior to and / or concurrently with particle beam therapy irradiation to ensure targeted and controlled delivery of energy relative to a patient position resulting in efficient, precise, and / or accurate noninvasive, in-vivo treatment of a solid cancerous tumor with minimization of damage to surrounding healthy tissue in a patient using the proton beam position verification system.

An apparatus and method for generating electronically steerable beams of sequential penetrating radiation. Charged particles from a source are formed into a beam and accelerated to a target. Electromagnetic radiation generated by the target is emitted with an angular distribution which is a function of the target thickness and the energy of the particles. A beam of particles is produced by allowing the radiation to exit from an apparatus through a collimator proximal to the target. The direction of the beam is determined by the point of radiation production and the corresponding array of transmission regions of the collimator.

A structure to generate x-rays has a plurality of stationary and individually electrically addressable field emissive electron sources with a substrate composed of a field emissive material, such as carbon nanotubes. Electrically switching the field emissive electron sources at a predetermined frequency field emits electrons in a programmable sequence toward an incidence point on a target. The generated x-rays correspond in frequency and in position to that of the field emissive electron source. The large-area target and array or matrix of emitters can image objects from different positions and / or angles without moving the object or the structure and can produce a three dimensional image. The x-ray system is suitable for a variety of applications including industrial inspection / quality control, analytical instrumentation, security systems such as airport security inspection systems, and medical imaging, such as computed tomography.

The system uses an X-ray imaging system having an elongated lifetime. Further, the system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a charged particle beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source located proximate to the charged particle beam path. By generating the X-rays near the charged particle beam path, an X-ray path running collinear, in parallel with, and / or substantially in contact with the charged particle beam path is created. The system then collects X-ray images of localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. Since, the X-ray path is essentially the charged particle beam path, the generated image is usable for precisely target the tumor with a charged particle beam.

A system and method for limiting emittance growth in an electron beam is disclosed. The system includes an emitter element configured to generate an electron beam and an extraction electrode positioned adjacent to the emitter element to extract the electron beam out therefrom, the extraction electrode including an opening therethrough. The system also includes a meshed grid disposed in the opening of the extraction electrode to enhance intensity and uniformity of an electric field at a surface of the emitter element and an emittance compensation electrode (ECE) positioned adjacent to the meshed grid on the side of the meshed grid opposite that of the emitter element and configured to control emittance growth of the electron beam.

The invention comprises an X-ray system that is orientated to provide X-ray images of a patient in the same orientation as viewed by a proton therapy beam, is synchronized with patient respiration, is operable on a patient positioned for proton therapy, and does not interfere with a proton beam treatment path. Preferably, the synchronized system is used in conjunction with a negative ion beam source, synchrotron, and / or targeting method apparatus to provide an X-ray timed with patient respiration and performed immediately prior to and / or concurrently with particle beam therapy irradiation to ensure targeted and controlled delivery of energy relative to a patient position resulting in efficient, precise, and / or accurate noninvasive, in-vivo treatment of a solid cancerous tumor with minimization of damage to surrounding healthy tissue in a patient using the proton beam position verification system.

An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a radiation filter having a first portion and a second portion, the first and the second portions forming a layer for filtering radiation impinging thereon, wherein the first portion is made from a first material having a first x-ray filtering characteristic, and the second portion is made from a second material having a second x-ray filtering characteristic. An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a first target material, a second target material, and an accelerator for accelerating particles towards the first target material and the second target material to generate x-rays at a first energy level and a second energy level, respectively.

An x-ray generating device includes a field emission cathode formed at least partially from a nanostructure-containing material having an emitted electron current density of at least 4 A / cm2. High energy conversion efficiency and compact design are achieved due to easy focusing of cold cathode emitted electrons and dramatic reduction of heating at the anode. In addition, by pulsing the field between the cathode and the gate or anode and focusing the electron beams at different anode materials, pulsed x-ray radiation with varying energy can be generated from a single device. Methods and apparatus for independent control of electron emission current and x-ray energy in x-ray tubes are also provided. The independent control can be accomplished by adjusting the distance between the cathode and anode. The independent control can also be accomplished by adjusting the temperature of the cathode. The independent control can also be accomplished by optical excitation of the cathode. The cathode can include field emissive materials such as carbon nanotubes.

The system uses an X-ray imaging system having an elongated lifetime. Further, the system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a charged particle beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source located proximate to the charged particle beam path. By generating the X-rays near the charged particle beam path, an X-ray path running collinear, in parallel with, and / or substantially in contact with the charged particle beam path is created. The system then collects X-ray images of localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. Since, the X-ray path is essentially the charged particle beam path, the generated image is usable for precisely target the tumor with a charged particle beam.

The invention comprises an X-ray method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source where the X-ray generation source is located proximate to the proton beam path. By generating the X-rays near the proton beam path, an X-ray path that is essentially the proton beam path is created. Using the generated X-rays, the system collects X-ray images of a localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and / or in system verification and validation.

It is described an electron optical arrangement, a X-ray emitting device and a method of creating an electron beam. An electron optical apparatus (1) comprises the following components along an optical axis (25): a cathode with an emitter (3) having a substantially planar surface (9) for emitting electrons; an anode (11) for accelerating the emitted electrons in a direction essentially along the optical axis (25); a first magnetic quadrupole lens (19) for deflecting the accelerated electrons and having a first yoke (41); a second magnetic quadrupole lens (21) for further deflecting the accelerated electrons and having a second yoke (51); and a magnetic dipole lens (23) for further deflecting the accelerated electrons.

An field emitter array system (10) includes a housing (50). An emitter array (80) generates an electron beam and has multiple emitter elements (81) that are disposed within the housing (50). Each of the emitter elements has multiple activation connections (92).

An x-ray generating device includes a field emission cathode formed at least partially from a nanostructure-containing material having an emitted electron current density of at least 4 A / cm2. High energy conversion efficiency and compact design are achieved due to easy focusing of cold cathode emitted electrons and dramatic reduction of heating at the anode. In addition, by pulsing the field between the cathode and the gate or anode and focusing the electron beams at different anode materials, pulsed x-ray radiation with varying energy can be generated from a single device.

An x-ray tube comprising an electron gun assembly having an electron gun container housing an electron generator for generating electrons in a first direction along a first axis. The beam of electrons impinges upon an anode which emits x-rays in response to the beam of electrons. The gun container is characterized by having a discharge end comprising a solid spherical shape.

A dual filament x-ray tube assembly (16) includes an evacuated envelope (52) having an anode (54) disposed at a first end of the evacuated envelope (52) and a cathode assembly (62) disposed at a second end of the evacuated envelope (52). The cathode assembly includes a variable-length filament assembly (72, 74; 100) which emits electron beams for impingement on the anode (54) at focal spots having varying lengths. The cathode assembly (62) further includes a cathode cup (64, 66, 68; 110, 112) which is subdivided into a plurality of electrically insulated deflection electrodes (64, 66, 68; 110, 112). A filament select circuit (80) selectively and individually heats a portion of the variable-length filament assembly (72, 74). Electron beams emitted from the filament assembly (72, 74) are electrostatically focused and controlled by applying potentials to different ones of the deflection electrodes (64, 66, 68; 110, 112). The x-ray tube assembly (16) provides longer focal spots for thick-slice scanning applications and shorter focal spots for thin-slice scanning applications along with the benefit of electrostatic focusing and control.

This disclosure presents systems for total reflection x-ray fluorescence measurements that have x-ray flux and x-ray flux density several orders of magnitude greater than existing x-ray technologies. These may therefore useful for applications such as trace element detection and / or for total-reflection fluorescence analysis. The higher brightness is achieved in part by using designs for x-ray targets that comprise a number of microstructures of one or more selected x-ray generating materials fabricated in close thermal contact with a substrate having high thermal conductivity. This allows for bombardment of the targets with higher electron density or higher energy electrons, which leads to greater x-ray brightness and therefore greater x-ray flux. The high brightness / high flux source may then be coupled to an x-ray reflecting optical system, which can focus the high flux x-rays to a spots that can be as small as one micron, leading to high flux density.

A radiation source is disclosed comprising a source of charged particles that travel along a path. Target material lies along the path to generate radiation upon impact by the beam. A magnet is provided to deflect the beam prior to impacting the target. The magnet may generate a time-varying magnetic field or a constant magnetic field. A constant magnetic field may be varied spatially across the beam. The magnet may be an electromagnet or a permanent magnet. In one example, deflection of the beam results in impact of the beam on the target along a plurality of axes. In another example, portions of the beam are differentially deflected. The source may thereby irradiate an object to be scanned with more uniform radiation. The charged particles may be electrons or protons and the radiation may be X-ray or gamma ray radiation, or neutrons. Scanning systems incorporating such sources, methods of generating radiation and methods of examining objects are disclosed, as well.

An X-ray generator of this invention has an X-ray monitor that monitors a state of an X-ray emitted from a target. Hence the state of the X-ray can be monitored in real time to maintain the X-ray in a constant state. The X-ray monitor is positioned off the path on which an X-ray transmitted from a first exit window travels. Hence, when the X-ray is emitted from the first exit window to an object to be inspected, the X-ray monitor does not obstruct the approaching of the object to the first exit window. This makes it possible to acquire X-ray images of high magnification.

An x-ray source is described. This x-ray source includes an electron source with a refractory binary compound having a melting temperature greater than that of tungsten. For example, the refractory binary compound may include: hafnium carbide, zirconium carbide, tantalum carbide, lanthanum hexaboride and / or compounds that include two or more of these elements.

A multiple spot x-ray generator is provided that includes a plurality of electron generators. Each electron generator includes an emitter element to emit an electron beam, a meshed grid adjacent each emitter element to enhance an electric field at a surface of the emitter element, and a focusing element positioned to receive the electron beam from each of the emitter elements and focus the electron beam to form a focal spot on a shielded target anode, the shielded target anode structure producing an array of x-ray focal spots when impinged by electron beams generated by the plurality of electron generators. The plurality of electron generators are arranged to form an electron generator matrix that includes activation connections electrically connected to the plurality of electron generators, wherein each electron generator is connected to a pair of the activation connections to receive an electric potential therefrom.

An x-ray source is described. During operation of the x-ray source, an electron source emits a beam of electrons. This beam of electrons is focused to a spot on a target by a magnetic focusing lens. In particular, the magnetic focusing lens includes an immersion lens in which a peak in a magnitude of an associated magnetic field occurs proximate to a plane of the target. Moreover, in response to receiving the beam of focused electrons, the target provides a transmission source of x-rays.

Disclosed are an X-ray target having a micro focus size and capable of producing X-rays of high intensity, and apparatuses using such an X-ray target. The X-ray target (1) has a structure in which a first cap layer (21), a target layer (22), and a second cap layer (23) are successively laminated, wherein the first and second cap layers (21and 23) are each composed of a material which is lower in electron beam absorptivity than that of which the target layer (22) is composed. An X-ray generator using the X-ray target (1) can generate highly intense and nanofocus (several nm) X-rays (17). Using the X-ray generator, an X-ray microscope allows obtaining a high resolution transmission image, an X-ray diffraction apparatus allows obtaining an X-ray diffraction image of a very small area, and a fluorescent X-ray analysis apparatus allows making the fluorescent X-ray analysis of a minute area.

A device and method for X-ray tube focal spot parameter control, wherein stray electrons are detected in an X-ray tube. The detected electrons lead to a signal having a characteristic pattern. The characteristic pattern may be evaluated, and based on the evaluation a controlling signal may be outputted so that a fast and exact controlling of the operating parameters of an X-ray tube may be carried out based on the detected stray electrons.

Provided is an X-ray generator which includes: an electron path 8; a target 9c disposed on a substrate 9a, in which electrons having passed through the electron path 8 are made to emit at the target 9c and to generate an X-ray, wherein: the target 9c is disposed at the central area of the substrate 9a; at least a part of a peripheral area of the substrate 9a which is not covered with the target 9c has higher transmittance than that of the central area of the substrate 9a covered with the target 9c, with respect to the X-ray generated when electrons having reflected from the target enter an inner wall of the electron path. X-ray generation efficiency may be improved by effectively using electrons reflected off the target 9c.