Patent ID: 9693439
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: G01N,G21K,H01J,H05G

Claim:
1. A liquid metal droplet illumination source, comprising: a laser configured to emit a beam of light toward a solid metal anode, the interaction of the beam of light with the solid metal anode causing a portion of the solid metal anode to melt and form a droplet of liquid metal anode; an excitation source configured to emit an energized beam directed toward the droplet of liquid metal anode, the interaction of the energized beam with the droplet of liquid metal anode causing an x-ray emission; and at least one x-ray optical element configured to collect an amount of the x-ray emission over a range of angles from a surface normal of the liquid metal anode, wherein the range of angles includes an angle of maximum intensity of a superposition of Bremsstrahlung emission and a desired line emission.