Detector for X-rays with high spatial and high spectral resolution

An x-ray spectroscopy system, comprising:

• an x-ray source comprising:
• a vacuum chamber;
• a window transparent to x-rays attached to the wall of the vacuum chamber;
• at least one electron beam emitter within the vacuum chamber;
• and
• an anode target within the vacuum chamber, the anode target comprising:
• a substrate comprising a first selected material, and
• a planar first surface, from which thickness is measured in a direction perpendicular to the first planar surface, and two orthogonal lateral dimensions are measured parallel to the first planar surface;
• and
• a plurality of discrete structures embedded into the first planar surface of the substrate such that each of the plurality of discrete structures is in thermal contact with the substrate, the plurality of discrete structures comprising one or more materials selected for its x-ray generation properties in which at least two of the plurality of discrete structures are arranged on an axis parallel to the first planar surface of the substrate and passing through the first window, in which each of the discrete microstructures has a thickness of less than 20 microns, and a lateral dimension in the direction of the axis of less than 50 microns,
• the at least one electron beam emitter configured to direct electrons onto the at least two arranged discrete structures such that x-rays are generated from each of the at least two arranged discrete structures and at least a portion of the generated x-rays propagating on the axis from each of the at least two arranged discrete structures is transmitted through the window;
• a first optical train having an optical axis positioned to correspond to the axis on which the at least two discrete structures are arranged, the first optical train positioned to collect x-rays generated by the anode target and to produce an x-ray beam focused to a predefined position within an object;
• an x-ray imaging system having an object plane and an image plane, said x-ray imaging system comprising at least one achromatic x-ray optical element, said x-ray imaging system positioned to collect x-rays emitted from a portion of an object such that the object plane overlaps with a predetermined x-ray emitting volume and to form an image of the collected x-rays in the image plane;
• and
• an x-ray detector system configured to detect x-rays of at least one predetermined spatially distinct sub-portion of the x-ray image corresponding to a predetermined volume within the x-ray emitting volume of the object and to produce electronic signals that are related to the number of x-rays having specific energy values detected for said predetermined spatially distinct sub-portion of the x-ray image.