Method and apparatus for generating sequential beams of penetrating radiation
AssigneeAmerican Science and Engineering, Inc.
InventorLee Grodzins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims41
An apparatus for generating sequential beams of penetrating electromagnetic radiation comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- an electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to a plurality of specified locations on the target;
- an electromagnetic steering device disposed proximal to the target, the electromagnetic steering device directing the charged particles to strike the target at a substantially ninety degree angle to the surface of the target;
- and
- a collimator, the collimator having an array of transmitting regions and being disposed proximal to the target such that electromagnetic waves emitted from the target pass through the collimator and emerge from the array of transmitting regions in a series of parallel beams.
An apparatus for providing a seamless scan of an object, the apparatus comprising:
- at least two multiplexed generators of sequential beams of penetrating electromagnetic radiation, each generator comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- an electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to a plurality of specified locations on the target;
- an electromagnetic steering device disposed proximal to the target, the electromagnetic steering device directing the charged particles to strike the target at a substantially ninety degree angle to the surface of the target;
- and
- a collimator, the collimator having an array of transmitting regions and being disposed proximal to the target such that electromagnetic waves emitted from the target pass through the collimator and emerge from the array of transmitting regions in a series of parallel beams.
An apparatus for generating penetrating electromagnetic radiation of variable beam opening comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- an electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to the plurality of specified locations on the target;
- and
- at least one collimator, the collimator being movable in a direction normal to the target in such a manner as to change the spatial resolution.
A method for generating sequential beams of penetrating electromagnetic radiation comprising:
- providing a source for producing charged particles;
- directing the particles to a plurality of specified locations on a target having a surface to produce radiation;
- steering the charged particles such that they hit the target at a substantially ninety degree angle to the surface of the target;
- and
- collimating the radiation.
In a system of the kind employing penetrating radiation for characterizing an object concealed by a concealing surface, an improvement consisting of an apparatus for generating sequential beams of penetrating radiation comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- a electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to a plurality of specified locations on the target;
- a electromagnetic steering device disposed proximal to the target, the electromagnetic steering device directing the charged particles to strike the target at a substantially ninety degree angle to the surface of the target;
- and
- a collimator, the collimator having an array of transmitting regions and being disposed proximal to the target such that electromagnetic waves emitted from the target pass through the collimator and emerge from the array of transmitting regions in a series of parallel beams.
In a system of the kind employing penetrating radiation for characterizing an object concealed by a concealing surface, an improvement consisting of an apparatus for generating penetrating radiation of variable beam opening comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- an electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to the plurality of specified locations on the target;
- and
- at least one collimator being movable in a direction normal to the target in such a manner as to change the spatial resolution.
A method for varying the spatial resolution of an imaging system, the method comprising:
- providing a source for producing charged particles and a collimator;
- directing the particles to a plurality of specified locations on a target to produce penetrating electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- adjusting a distance between the target and the collimator.
A method of producing a continuous x-ray image, the method comprising:
- generating sequential beams of penetrating electromagnetic radiation from at least two x-ray sources, the x-ray sources each comprising:
- a source for producing a beam of charged particles;
- a target having a surface which receives the beam of charged particles and emits electromagnetic waves in response thereto;
- an electromagnetic beam director that directs the beam of charged particles to a plurality of specified locations on the target;
- an electromagnetic steering device disposed proximal to the target, the electromagnetic steering device directing the charged particles to strike the target at a substantially ninety degree angle to the surface of the target;
- and
- a collimator, the collimator having an array of transmitting regions and being disposed proximal to the target such that electromagnetic waves emitted from the target pass through the collimator and emerge from the array of transmitting regions in a series of parallel beams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.