Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Other

Jens Peter Schlomka

Geoffrey Harding

Bernd R David

Axel Thran

Rainer Willi Eckart

Geoffry Harding

Leonardus Petrus Maria Tielemans

An X-ray source and an X-ray apparatus with an X-ray source are provided, the X-ray source includes a liquid metal target which flows through a system of ducts and is conducted through a duct section which has a flow cross-section that is reduced relative to that of the system of ducts. The X-ray source provides a pressure source for acting on the liquid metal target such that the pressure in the liquid metal target at the area of the reduced flow cross-section equals essentially a selectable reference value or remains essentially in a pressure range between selectable limit values of the pressure. A comparatively small thickness of a window can thus be realized in conjunction with a comparatively high flow speed.

X-ray source provided with a liquid metal target

The invention relates to a device for generating X-rays (). The device has a source () for emitting electrons () accommodated in a vacuum space (). The X-rays are emitted by a liquid metal as a result of the incidence of the electrons. The liquid metal flows through a constriction () where the electrons emitted by the source impinge upon the liquid metal. The constriction is bounded by a thin window (), which is made from a material which is transparent to electrons and X-rays and which separates the liquid metal in the constriction from the vacuum space, and by a wall () opposite to the window. According to the invention, the wall () has a profile (p) which matches a profile (p') which the window () has, during operation, as a result of a deformation of the window caused by a pressure of the liquid metal in the constriction (). Thus, it is achieved that the constriction has a predetermined intended cross-sectional area, and a decrease of the flow velocity and an accompanying excessive increase of the pressure at the location of the deformation of the window are prevented.

Device for generating X-rays having a liquid metal anode

The invention relates to a device () for generating X-rays (). The device comprises a source () for emitting electrons () and a liquid metal for emitting X-rays as a result of the incidence of electrons. The device further comprises a displacing member () for displacing the liquid metal through an impingement position () where the electrons emitted by the source impinge upon the liquid metal. As a result of the flow of liquid metal through the impingement position the heat, which is generated in the impingement position as a result of the incidence of the electrons upon the liquid metal, is transported away from the impingement position. According to the invention, the displacing member () has a contact surface (), which is in contact with the liquid metal in the impingement position (), and a driving member () for moving the contact surface in a direction which, in the impingement position, is substantially parallel to the contact surface. Thus the flow of liquid metal in the impingement position is achieved as a result of viscous shear forces in the liquid metal caused by friction forces between the liquid metal and the moving contact surface. As a result, the necessary pressure of the liquid metal is limited.

Device for generating X-rays

The invention relates to a computed tomography apparatus which includes a scanning unit which is rotatable, relative to an examination zone ( ), around an axis of rotation ( ) which extends through the examination zone ( ), and also includes a radiation source (S) for generating a primary fan beam ( ) which traverses the examination zone ( ), and a two-dimensional detector array (D) which includes a plurality of detector elements and a part of the measuring surface of which detects primary radiation from the primary fan beam ( ) whereas an other part of its measuring surface detects scattered radiation produced in the examination zone ( ). In order to avoid reconstruction artefacts as much as possible in a computed tomography apparatus of this kind, in accordance with the invention it is proposed to arrange a modulation unit ( ) between the radiation source (S) and the examination zone ( ) in order to realize a temporally and spatially periodic modulation of the primary fan beam ( ).

Computed tomography apparatus for determining the pulse momentum transfer spectrum

The invention relates to an arrangement for generating X-rays upon incidence of electrons ( ), which arrangement includes a liquid metal zone ( ) in which a liquid metal ( ) is provided as an X-ray target in such a manner that it can flow past a zone of electron incidence ( ). In order to allow a pump of reduced capacity to be employed in such a device in order to provide the movement of the liquid metal, in accordance with the invention it is proposed to realize a pressure zone ( ) which is separate from the liquid metal zone ( ) and is provided with a pressure medium ( ) in such a manner that the pressure medium ( ) can exert a pressure on the liquid metal ( ) present in the liquid metal zone ( ) in order to force the liquid metal ( ) past the zone of electron incidence ( ), the pressure zone ( ) being provided with a pressure accumulator (R ) which can be replenished in order to apply the pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Hamburg, Germany

Jens Peter Schlomka