Transmission cathode for X-ray production

A transmission cathode X-ray tube for the generation of X rays comprising:

• an evacuated tube;
• a transmission cathode;
• and
• an anode.

A device for the generation of X rays comprising:

• an evacuated tube;
• a transmission cathode;
• an anode;
• and
• means for generating an electron flow that propagates from the cathode to the anode, upon the flow of electrons striking the anode, a primary stream of X rays are generated that radiates out of the evacuated tube through the transmission cathode.

A device for the generation of X rays comprising:

• an evacuated tube;
• a transmission cathode having a plurality of electron emitting elements;
• an anode;
• means for generating an electron flow that propagates from the cathode elements to the anode, upon the flow of electrons striking the anode X rays are generated that radiate out of the evacuated tube through the transmission cathode.

A device for the generation of X rays comprising:

• a evacuated tube;
• a transmission cathode having a plurality of electron emitting elements;
• an anode further comprised of a plurality of electrically conducting elements;
• means for generating an electron flow that propagates from the cathode to elements of the anode, upon the flow of electrons striking a particular element of the plurality of electrically conducting elements of the anode X rays of a predetermined frequency are generated that radiate out of the evacuated tube through the transmission cathode;
• and
• means for controlling the selection of a particular element of the plurality of electrically conducting elements of the anode.

A method for generating X rays comprising the steps of:

• generating an electron flow from a transmission cathode;
• exciting X rays when said electron flow strikes an anode;
• and
• radiating said X rays through the transmission cathode to a sample.

A gatable transmission cathode comprising:

• an X-ray transmissive material forming an X-ray window of such size that X rays will be emitted through the material;
• a plurality of electron emitters affixed to a surface of the X-ray window;
• and
• means for gating the electron emitters so as to control an emitted electron current.

A gatable transmission cathode having rows comprising:

• an X-ray transmissive material forming an X-ray window of such size that X rays will be emitted through the material;
• a plurality of electron emitters affixed to a surface of the X-ray window disposed in a plurality of rows;
• means for gating the electron emitters so as to control an emitted electron current;
• and
• means for selecting a predetemined row of electron emitters of the plurality of rows of electron emitters.

A gatable transmission cathode having an array comprising:

• an X-ray transmissive material forming an X-ray window of such size that X rays will be emitted through the material;
• a plurality of electron emitters affixed to a surface of the X-ray window arranged in an array;
• means for selecting a predetemined electron emitter of the plurality of electron emitters;
• and
• means for gating the selected electron emitter so as to control an emitted electron current.

An electron probe system for generating X rays comprising:

• an evacuated enclosure containing;
• a gatable transmission cathode;
• an anode;
• and
• a facility for holding a sample in electrical contact with the anode, in a position where it can be struck by accelerated electrons generated by the transmission cathode;
• means for scanning the electron emitters of the transmission cathode;
• and
• a detector for detecting X rays emitted by the anode and sample.

A transmissive anode electron probe comprising:

• an evacuated tube containing;
• a gatable transmission cathode;
• and
• an anode transmissive to electrons;
• whereby a sample may be located outside of the evacuated tube in a position where it can be struck by electrons generated by the transmission cathode and transmitted by the anode;
• and
• means for scanning the electron emitters of the transmission cathode.

A transmissive anode X-ray probe comprising:

• an evacuated tube containing;
• a gatable-transmission cathode;
• and
• an anode transmissive to X rays;
• whereby a sample may be located outside of the evacuated tube in a position where it can be struck by X rays generated by the transmissive anode;
• and
• means for scanning the electron emitters of the transmission cathode.

A scannable cathode comprising:

• a plurality of electron emitters affixed to a surface of a substrate;
• means for selecting a predetermined electron emitter of the plurality of electron emitters;
• and
• means for gating the selected electron emitter so as to control an emitted electron current.

A scanning electron imager comprising:

• an evacuated enclosure further comprising;
• a scannable cathode for generating electron emissions;
• an anode;
• and
• an electron detector;
• and
• means for generating an electron flow that propagates from the cathode to the anode.