Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for generating x-ray radiation, comprising the steps of:forming a target jet by urging a liquid metal under pressure through an outlet opening into an evacuated chamber, the target jet propagating through an area of interaction, anddirecting at least one electron beam onto the target jet in the area of interaction such that the electron beam interacts with the target jet to generate x-ray radiation, said electron beam having a power of at least 38 W;wherein the full width at half maximum of the electron beam isabout 50% or less of at least one target jet transverse dimension, andis less than any other target jet transverse dimension, such that a debris shielding effect is obtained. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electron beam is directed onto the target jet in a line focus. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the target jet propagation speed in the area of interaction is about 20-60 m/s. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of collecting the generated x-ray radiation from a direction at an angle with respect to the electron beam. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generated x-ray radiation is collected from a direction at a right angle with respect to the electron beam. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid metal forming the target jet is an alloy or a low melting-point alloy. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid metal forming the target jet is liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet forms an anode for the electron beam. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for imaging. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for x-ray microscopy. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for proximity or projection lithography. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for photoelectron spectroscopy. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for x-ray fluorescence. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the generated x-ray radiation for crystallography. 15. A system for generating x-ray radiation, comprisinga jet unit for forming a target jet by urging a liquid metal under pressure through an outlet opening into an evacuated chamber, such that the target jet propagates through an area of interaction, andan electron beam unit for directing at least one electron beam having a power of at least 38 W onto the target jet in the area of interaction, such that the electron beam interacts with the target jet to generate x-ray radiation;wherein the jet unit for forming the target jet and the electron beam unit for directing at least one electron beam onto the target jet are arranged such that the full width at half maximum of the electron beam isabout 50% or less of at least one target jet transverse dimension, andis less than any other target jet transverse dimension, such that a debris shielding effect is obtained. 16. A method for generating x-ray radiation, comprising the steps of:forming a target jet by urging a liquid metal under pressure through an outlet opening into an evacuated chamber, the target jet propagating through an area of interaction, anddirecting at least one electron beam onto the target jet in the area of interaction such that the electron beam interacts with the target jet to generate x-ray radiation, said electron beam having a power of at least 63 W;wherein the full width at half maximum of the electron beam isabout 50% or less of at least one target jet transverse dimension, andis less than any other target jet transverse dimension, such that a debris shielding effect is obtained. 17. A system for generating x-ray radiation, comprisinga jet unit for forming a target jet by urging a liquid metal under pressure through an outlet opening into an evacuated chamber, such that the target jet propagates through an area of interaction, andan electron beam unit for directing at least one electron beam having a power of at least 63 W onto the target jet in the area of interaction, such that the electron beam interacts with the target jet to generate x-ray radiation;wherein the jet unit for forming the target jet and the electron beam unit for directing at least one electron beam onto the target jet are arranged such that the full width at half maximum of the electron beam isabout 50% or less of at least one target jet transverse dimension, andis less than any other target jet transverse dimension, such that a debris shielding effect is obtained. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is about 50% or less of the target jet transverse dimensions in all transverse dimensions. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein an increase in the target jet diameter decreases a debris emission rate. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter in a range from 10 μm to 100 μm. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein a propagation speed of the target jet in the area of interaction with the electron beam is about 500 m/s or lower. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein a propagation speed of the target jet in the area of interaction with the electron beam is between 20 m/s and 60 m/s. 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of at least 63 W. 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 63 W. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 72 W. 26. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 15.5±1.5 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 63 W. 27. The method of claim 1. wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 15.5±1.5 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 72 W. 28. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 55 W. 29. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 38 W. 30. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 47 W. 31. The method of claim 1, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 78.5 W. 32. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is about 50% or less of the target jet transverse dimensions in all transverse dimensions. 33. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein an increase in the target jet diameter decreases a debris emission rate. 34. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter in a range from 10 μm to 100 μm. 35. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein a propagation speed of the target jet in the area of interaction with the electron beam is about 500 m/s or lower. 36. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein a propagation speed of the target jet in the area of interaction with the electron beam is between 20 m/s and 60 m/s. 37. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of at least 63 W. 38. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 63 W. 39. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 24±2 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 72 W. 40. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 15.5±1.5 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 63 W. 41. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15. wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 50 μm and the full width at half maximum of the electron beam is 15.5±1.5 μm, and the electron beam has a power of 72 W. 42. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 55 W. 43. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 38 W. 44. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 47 W. 45. The system for generating x-ray radiation of claim 15, wherein the target jet has a transverse diameter of 30 μm and the electron beam has a power of 78.5 W.