Patent ID: 8311184

Claim:
An X-ray imaging system that produces one or more fan-shaped beams, comprising: a target for emitting X rays upon being struck by electrons from an electron source, said target comprising at least one target focal spot; and one or more graded multilayer optic devices in communication with said target to transmit at least a portion of said X rays through total internal reflection to produce said one or more fan-shaped beams, said graded multilayer optic devices, comprising: a first graded multilayer section for redirecting and transmitting X rays through total internal reflection including, a high-index layer of material comprising a first complex refractive index n 1 having a real part Re (n 1 ) and an imaginary part β 1 ; a low-index layer of material comprising a second complex refractive index n 2 having a real part Re (n 2 ) and an imaginary part β 2 ; and a grading zone disposed between said high-index layer of material and said low-index layer of material, said grading zone having a grading layer comprising a third complex real refractive index n 3 having a real part Re (n 3 ) and an imaginary part β 3 such that Re(n 1 )>Re(n 3 )>Re(n 2 ).