Patent ID: 7596208
Filing Date: 2009-09-29
Classification: G02B,G21K,H05G,H05H

Abstract:
1. A system for generating x-rays by Compton backscattering, comprising: an electron storage ring configured to guide and maintain an electron bunch injected into said electron storage ring in a stable and closed orbit that circulates through an interaction point disposed along a portion of said electron storage ring, each newly injected electron bunch having at least one attribute related to the emission of x-rays by Compton backscattering that degrades over time after initial injection; an optical system generating photon pulses coupled to said interaction point, said photon pulses synchronized to interact with corresponding electron bunches at said interaction point to generate x-ray radiation via Compton backscattering; and the system configured to synchronously replace a circulating electron bunch with a fresh electron bunch according to a schedule so that the electron storage ring nearly continuously stores an electron bunch available for Compton backscattering with the schedule being selected to improve x-ray output characteristics of the system by reducing the degradation over time of said at least one attribute related to the emission of x-rays by Compton backscattering.