United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Steven J Kenyon

Zaven Arzoumanian

Keith Gendreau

Wolfgang Krull

Avilash Cramer

Raymond L Ladbury

Thomas Jordan

Nick Salvatore Spartana

Rajiv Gupta

Jake Hecla

Jean-Marie Lauenstein

The present invention relates to a novel, non-rotating tomographic imaging system, including a multi-source x-ray imaging module which includes multiple x-ray sources within a vacuum manifold, each equipped with a non-thermionic cathode which can reduce image scan time (and hence, motion artifacts), or delivered radiation dose, through under-sampled acquisition sequences, and without adding additional sources. The non-thermionic nature of the cathode enables rapid on/off switching of x-rays without concern as to the thermal mass or the thermal time-constant of the cathode. The modules can be flexibly interconnected to each other to allow configuration as part of a distributed ring of sources, or in other x-ray imaging geometries. Modularity provides the present invention an advantage in making it easier to debug and repair a distributed-source imaging system, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system.

Tomographic imaging system

A method for forming an optimized radiation shield design for a component including providing a computer system programmed to generate data files that define a component radiation shield having an optimized design based on pre-stored data defining particular radiation characteristics and user-provided data defining radiation shield design criteria. Radiation shield design criteria are inputted into the computer system which processes the inputted radiation shield design criteria and the pre-stored data defining particular radiation characteristics in order to generate data files defining an optimized design for a component radiation shield. The generated data files defining the optimized design for a component radiation shield are provided to a metallic three-dimensional printing system. The three-dimensional printing system is then activated to form a component radiation shield using a predetermined metal powder and the generated data files that define the optimized component radiation shield design. The formed component radiation shield is then attached to the component or the circuit board.

Method for forming component-level radiation shield optimized for environmental radiation characteristics and design critera

A miniaturized high-speed modulated X-ray source (MXS) device and a method for rapidly and arbitrarily varying with time the output X-ray photon intensities and energies. The MXS device includes an ultraviolet emitter that emits ultraviolet light, a photocathode operably coupled to the ultraviolet light-emitting diode that emits electrons, an electron multiplier operably coupled to the photocathode that multiplies incident electrons, and an anode operably coupled to the electron multiplier that is configured to produce X-rays. The method for modulating MXS includes modulating an intensity of an ultraviolet emitter to emit ultraviolet light, generating electrons in response to the ultraviolet light, multiplying the electrons to become more electrons, and producing X-rays by an anode that includes a target material configured to produce X-rays in response to impact of the more electrons.

Miniaturized high-speed modulated X-ray source

Growing community of inventors

Hanover, MD, United States of America

Steven J Kenyon