X-ray illuminators with high flux and high flux density
US9449781B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 2014 |
| Grant date | Sep 20, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2235/086
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This disclosure presents systems for x-ray illumination that have an x-ray brightness several orders of magnitude greater than existing x-ray technologies. These may therefore useful for applications such as trace element detection or for micro-focus fluorescence analysis. The higher brightness is achieved in part by using designs for x-ray targets that comprise a number of microstructures of one or more selected x-ray generating materials fabricated in close thermal contact with a substrate having high thermal conductivity. This allows for bombardment of the targets with higher electron density or higher energy electrons, which leads to greater x-ray flux. The high brightness/high flux x-ray source may then be coupled to an x-ray optical system, which can collect and focus the high flux x-rays to spots that can be as small as one micron, leading to high flux density.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.