Patent ID: 7508917
Filing Date: 2009-03-24
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. An x-ray radiator comprising: a vacuum housing; a photocathode that thermionically emits electrons into said vacuum housing upon irradiation of said photo cathode by a laser beam; an anode; electrical connections respectively to said cathode and said anode allowing application of a high voltage between said anode and said cathode that accelerates electrons emitted by said cathode toward said anode as an electron beam; said anode having a surface in said vacuum housing disposed in a path of said electron beam that emits x-rays upon being struck by said electron beam; said vacuum housing comprising an insulator that separates said cathode from said anode; an arrangement for cooling at least said anode during emission of x-rays therefrom; and a stationary source of said laser beam that is disposed outside of said vacuum housing, and a deflection arrangement, entirely contained in said vacuum housing, that interacts with said laser beam in a path of said laser beam between said stationary source and a laser focal spot of said laser beam on said cathode, said deflection arrangement deflecting said laser beam in said path and causing said path to be non-linear between said stationary source and said laser focal spot.