Patent Number: 044779216
Section: claims

1. In an X-ray lithography source tube of the type comprising an electron beam source and a target for generating X-rays, wherein the electron beam source is a ring-shaped shielded cathode and the target is a water-cooled inverted cone: the improvement in which said target is in the form of a composite target cone comprising at least an X-ray generating layer and a water-interface layer; wherein said water-interface layer includes a layer of high thermal conductivity material covered at said water-interface layer by a layer of high corrosion resistance material; and wherein said layer of high thermal conductivity material is formed of copper and said layer of high corrosion resistance material is formed of palladium. 2. The X-ray lithograph source tube of claim 1 wherein said X-ray generating layer is formed of a member of the class consisting of platinum, silver, palladium, rhodium, molybdenum, tungsten, silicon, aluminum and copper. 3. The X-ray lithography source tube of claim 1 being characterized by having a high radiant intensity and by being a soft tube, wherein said high radiant intensity is at least one hundred milliwatts per steradian at 10 kw input power. 4. In an X-ray lithography source tube of the type comprising an electron beam source and a target for generating X-rays, wherein the electron beam source is a ring-shaped shielded cathode and the target is a water-cooled inverted cone: the improvement in which said target is in the form of a composite target cone comprising at least an X-ray generating layer and a water-interface layer, wherein said water-interface layer includes a layer of high thermal conductivity material covered at said water-interface layer by a layer of high corrosion resistance material, and wherein said water-interface layer further includes a layer of high-melting-point material covering said layer of high thermal conductivity material and facing said X-ray generating layer. 5. The X-ray lithography source tube of claim 4 wherein said layer of high-melting point material is formed of tantalum. 6. The X-ray lithograph source tube of claim 5 wherein said X-ray generating layer is about five micrometer thick, said layer of high thermal conductivity mate-ial is about fourteen mil thick, said layer of high corrosion resistance material is about one micrometer thick, and said layer of high-melting point material is about 0.2 micrometer thick. 7. An X-ray lithography apparatus comprising: (a) an X-ray lithography source tube including an electron beam source and a target for generating X-rays, said tube maintained under pressure by a source of vacuum;  (b) a processing chamber mounted in operative association with said X-ray lithography source tube and including a mask and a work support, said chamber also maintained under pressure by said source of vacuum;  (c) said target being a composite target cone including an X-ray generating layer and a water-interface layer;  (d) said X-ray generating layer being formed of a member of the class consisting of platinum, silver, palladium, rhodium, molybdenum, tungsten, silicon, aluminum and copper;  (e) wherein said water-interface layer includes a layer of high thermal conductivity material covered at said water-interface layer by a layer of high corrosion resistance material, and wherein said water-interface layer further includes a layer of high thermal conductivity material and facing said X-ray generating layer. 8. The X-ray lithography apparatus of claim 7 wherein said layer of high thermal conductivity material is formed of copper and said layer of high corrosion resistance material is formed of palladium, and wherein said layer of high-melting point material is formed of tantalum. 9. The X-ray lithography apparatus of claim 8 wherein said X-ray generating layer is about five micrometer thick, said layer of high thermal conductivity material is about fourteen mil thick, said layer of high corrosion resistance material is about one micrometer thick, and said layer of high-melting point material is about 0.2 micrometer thick.