Fluid cooled reflective x-ray source
AssigneeCarl Zeiss X-ray Microscopy, Inc.
InventorsClaus Flachenecker, Bruce Borchers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
During operation of a reflection target x-ray source, heat must be removed from many components. The electron beam must be steered to the target and may interact with structures along this path. There is also heat generated in the target itself. This can be excessive, since only a very small percentage of the electron beam's energy is transformed into x-rays. Finally, the x-rays must exit the vacuum through the window, which can also be heated both by the x-rays, reflected electrons, and radiant heat from the target. A water cooled reflective x-ray source provides for water or other fluid cooling of the centering aperture, x-ray target, and/or exit window.
Claims21
An x-ray source, comprising:
- a target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target to generate x-rays;
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target;
- and
- a sheath tube surrounding the aperture tube.
A method of operation of an x-ray source, comprising:
- during an x-ray generation mode, using a flight tube beam steering system to steer an electron beam through an aperture tube to generate x-rays;
- and
- deactivating the x-rays by controlling the flight tube beam steering system to steer the beam away from an aperture of the aperture tube, which is fluid cooled and has a surrounding sheath tube.
An x-ray source, comprising:
- a target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target;
- a fluid cooled window through which the x-rays exit;
- and
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target, with a surrounding sheath tube.
An x-ray source, comprising:
- a target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target;
- a diamond window through which the x-rays exit;
- and
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target, with a surrounding sheath tube.
An x-ray source, comprising:
- a target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target;
- a scattered electron detector for detecting electrons scattered from the target;
- and
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target, with a surrounding sheath tube.
An x-ray source, comprising:
- an electrically isolated target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target to generate x-rays;
- a fluid cooling loop for flowing fluid across a backside of the target and
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target, with a surrounding sheath tube.
An x-ray source, comprising:
- an electrically isolated target;
- an electron beam source for generating an electron beam for striking the target to generate x-rays;
- a fluid cooled aperture tube including a centering aperture between the electron beam source and the target, with a surrounding sheath tube;
- a diamond fluid cooled window through which the x-rays exit;
- a scattered electron detector for detecting electrons scattered from the target;
- and
- a fluid cooling loop for flowing fluid across a backside of the target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.