Portable X-ray source and method for radiography

A method for use in x-ray imaging comprising:

• providing a sealed plasma discharge chamber with a plasma support gas at a selected low pressure;
• placing an x-ray emitter structure inside the plasma discharge chamber;
• applying a magnetic field to the discharge chamber;
• supplying microwaves to the discharge chamber, said microwaves producing an oscillating electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field;
• exposing the chamber to the magnetic field and the oscillating electric field;
• forming a plasma in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet from the support gas, including hot electrons, under ECR conditions;
• and
• bombarding the x-ray emitter continuously with hot electrons to produce x-ray radiation in response to the plasma being formed.

Apparatus for use in x-ray imaging comprising:

• a vacuumated plasma discharge chamber containing a plasma support gas;
• a magnetic field system for producing an axisymmetric magnetic mirror inside the plasma discharge chamber;
• a microwave source for supplying microwaves to the plasma discharge chamber,
• a resonant cavity for supporting an oscillating electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field inside the plasma discharge chamber to form a plasma in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet including hot electrons under electron cyclotron resonance conditions, wherein the diameter of the resonant cavity is on the order of the wavelength of the microwaves;
• and an x-ray emitter structure positioned inside the plasma discharge chamber to intersect the formed hot plasma electrons, thereby to produce x-ray radiation in response to the plasma being formed.

Apparatus for use in x-ray imaging comprising:

• a vacuumated plasma discharge chamber containing a plasma support gas;
• a magnetic field system for producing an axisymmetric magnetic mirror inside the plasma discharge chamber;
• a microwave source for supplying microwaves to the plasma discharge chamber;
• a resonant cavity for supporting an oscillating electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field inside the plasma discharge chamber to form a plasma in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet including hot electrons under electron cyclotron resonance conditions, wherein the length of the resonant cavity is on the order of the wavelength of the microwaves;
• and an x-ray emitter structure positioned inside the plasma discharge chamber to intersect the formed hot plasma electrons, thereby to produce x-ray radiation in response to the plasma being formed.

Apparatus for use in x-ray imaging comprising:

• a vacuumated plasma discharge chamber containing a plasma support gas;
• a magnetic field system having a pair of permanent magnets for producing an axisymmetric magnetic mirror inside the plasma discharge chamber;
• a resonant cavity for supporting an oscillating electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field inside the plasma discharge chamber to form a plasma in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet including hot electrons under electron cyclotron resonance conditions;
• a microwave source for supplying microwaves to the plasma discharge chamber;
• and
• an x-ray emitter structure positioned inside the chamber to intersect the formed hot plasma electrons, thereby to produce x-ray radiation in response to the plasma being formed.