Patent ID: 8625743

Claim:
An X-ray generating apparatus, comprising: an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam along an electron beam path; an electron beam target capable of generating X-rays when impacted by the electron beam; a housing comprising an electrically conductive material and configured to support the electron beam source and target; a magnetic coil disposed outside of the housing capable of being switched between generating at least a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field upon receiving voltage pulses, the first magnetic field having a first magnitude and the second magnetic field having a second magnitude, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are configured to manipulate at least one of a size, a shape, or a direction of the electron beam along the electron beam path; and a controller configured to apply the voltage pulses to the magnetic coil, wherein the voltage pulses comprise a first pulse configured to cause the coil to switch from generating the first magnetic field to generating the second magnetic field, and a second pulse configured to disrupt an eddy current generated in the electrically conductive material when switching between the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field.