Low-power, compact piezoelectric particle emission

A low-power, compact emitter of atomic particles comprising:

• a piezoelectric transformer crystal formed from a piezoelectric material having an input end and an output end;
• an output electrode electrically connected to the output end;
• a voltage source electrically connected to the input end to apply a first voltage to the crystal and create a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage at the output end caused by the piezoelectric effect, the second voltage creating an electric field generally at the output electrode;
• a charged particle source for emitting charged particles;
• and,
• a target for receiving the charged particles;
• a vacuum chamber containing the piezoelectric transformer crystal, the charged particle source and the target;
• whereby in operation the electric field accelerates the charged particles toward the target such that the charged particles interact with the target to emit one of neutrons and X-rays.

A low-power, compact piezoelectric X-ray generator comprising:

• a piezoelectric transformer crystal formed from a piezoelectric material having an input end and an output end;
• an output electrode electrically connected to the output end;
• a voltage source electrically connected to the input end to apply a first voltage to the crystal and create a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage at the output end caused by to the piezoelectric effect, the second voltage creating an electric field generally at the output electrode;
• an electron emitter configured to emit a beam of electrons accelerated by the electric field;
• a bremsstrahlung target positioned in the electron beam so that the electrons interact with the target to generate X-rays;
• a vacuum chamber containing the piezoelectric transformer crystal, the electron emitter and the bremsstrahlung target.