Method and system for generating monochromatic X-rays
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoseph John Manak, Jr., John Scott Price
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Briefly in accordance with one embodiment, the present technique provides an X-ray source. The X-ray source includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam. The X-ray source also includes an ultra-violet photon source configured to generate one or more mono-energetic streams of ultra-violet photons. The X-ray source further includes an interaction region configured to facilitate interaction of the electron beam and the one or more mono-energetic streams of ultra-violet photons to generate X-rays having a substantially monochromatic or multimodal distribution.
Claims22
An X-ray source, comprising:
- an electron source configured to generate an electron beam;
- an ultra-violet photon source configured to generate one or more mono-energetic streams of ultra-violet photons;
- and
- an interaction region configured to facilitate interaction of the electron beam and the one or more mono-energetic streams of ultra-violet photons to generate X-rays having a substantially monochromatic or multimodal distribution.
A method of generating X-rays having a substantially monochromatic or multimodal distribution, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing an electron beam towards an interaction region;
- directing a one or more mono-energetic stream of ultra-violet photons towards the interaction region;
- and
- interacting the electron beam and the one or more mono-energetic stream of ultraviolet photons to generate a stream of substantially monochromatic or multimodal distribution X-rays.
A method of manufacturing X-rays having a substantially monochromatic or multimodal distribution, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam;
- providing an ultra-violet photon source configured to produce a stream of ultra-violet photons;
- and
- providing an interaction region configured for the interaction of the electron beam and the stream of ultraviolet photons by simultaneously focusing the electron beam and UV photon beam on a region in space.
An X-ray imaging system comprising:
- an X-ray source comprising:
- an electron source configured to generate an electron beam;
- an ultra-violet photon source configured to generate a stream of ultra-violet photons;
- and
- an interaction region configured to facilitate interaction of the electron beam and the stream of ultra-violet photons to generate a stream of substantially monochromatic X-rays;
- an X-ray detector configured to generate a plurality of signals in response to the emitted substantially monochromatic X-rays;
- acquisition circuitry configured to acquire the plurality of signals;
- and
- image-processing circuitry configured to generate one or more images based on the plurality of signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.