Multiple-position x-ray tube for diffractometer

An x-ray system for illuminating a sample material with x-ray energy, the system comprising a cathode:

• an x-ray anode with an oblong active area from which x-rays are emitted, the x-rays forming a beam with a spot-shaped cross section in a first direction S away from the anode, while forming a beam with a line-shaped cross section in a second direction away from the anode that is approximately 90° from the first direction;
• a housing within which the anode is located, the housing having a plurality of output ports through which x-rays can exit, including x-rays traveling in the first direction and the second direction, the ports being located along an outer perimeter of the housing at different angular positions relative to the anode;
• a plurality of x-ray optics, each connected to an outer surface of the housing, and each being adjacent to a different one of the housing ports so as to condition x-ray energy exiting the housing through that port;
• and
• a rotatable support to which the housing and the x-ray optics are mounted that allows rotation of the housing together with the x-ray optics to a plurality of different angular orientations, each of which results in a different one of the ports facing the sample to allow x-ray energy exiting that port and passing through its associated optic to be directed to the sample so that the sample can be illuminated with conditioned x-ray energy without realigning the x-ray optics.

An x-ray system for illuminating a sample material with x-ray energy, the system comprising a cathode:

• an anode with an active area from which x-rays are emitted in a plurality of angular directions, the x-rays in one of said directions having a substantially line-shaped cross section, while the x-rays in another of said directions having a substantially spot-shaped cross section;
• a housing within which the anode is located, the housing having a plurality of output ports through which x-rays can exit, the ports being located on an outer perimeter of the housing aligned with said different angular directions along which x-rays are emitted from the anode;
• a line focus x-ray optic connected to an outer surface of the housing adjacent to one of said ports that is aligned with x-ray energy from the anode that has a line-shaped cross section;
• a point focus x-ray optic connected to an outer surface of the housing adjacent to one of said ports that is aligned with x-ray energy from the anode that has a spot-shaped cross section;
• and
• a rotatable support to which the housing, the line focus x-ray optic and the point focus x-ray optic are mounted that allows rotation of the housing together with the line focus x-ray optic and the point focus x-ray optic to a plurality of different angular orientations, a first of which results in the line focus optic being oriented such that x-ray energy passing through it reaches the sample, and a second of which results in the point focus optic being oriented such that x-ray energy passing through it reaches the sample so that the sample can be illuminated with both line-focused and point focused x-ray energy without realigning the line focus and the point focus x-ray optics.