Monochromatic X-ray source
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsGeoffrey Harding, Bernd Ulmer
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Abstract
The invention relates to an X-ray source for generating substantially monochromatic fluorescent X-rays by means of a primary and a secondary target. The radiation source is characterized in that the primary target (10) is a liquid metal or a liquid metal alloy which is conducted between a first window (2) which is transparent to an electron beam and a second window (6) which is transparent to X-rays and is adjoined by the secondary target (11) in such a manner that the electrons which are incident on the primary target via the first window produce X-rays which have a maximum energy which corresponds essentially to an absorption edge of the secondary target when they reach the secondary target, so that substantially monochromatic fluorescent X-rays are excited in the secondary target.
Claims5
An X-ray source for generating substantially monochromatic fluorescent X-rays with a primary and a secondary target, characterized in that the primary target (10) is a liquid metal or a liquid metal alloy which is conducted between a first window (2) being transparent to an electron beam, and a second window (6), being transparent to X-rays and adjoined by the secondary target (11), in such a manner that the electrons which are incident on the primary target via the first window produce X-rays which exhibit, upon reaching the secondary target, essentially a maximum energy which corresponds to an absorption edge of the secondary target so that substantially monochromatic fluorescent X-rays are excited in the secondary target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.