Patent ID: 8837678

Claim:
An x-ray generating device, comprising: a substantially sealed envelope having a portion that allows x-rays to pass; a fixed anode having a portion interior to the envelope, the anode having a first shaped face capable of generating x-rays in a predetermined direction when interacted upon by electrons; a fixed cathode having a portion interior to the envelope and having a second shaped face containing a photocathodic material substantially opposite the anode; a voltage differential between the cathode and the anode; and a fixed plurality of fiber optic lines directing light to the second shaped face of the cathode, a light emitting end of the fiber optic lines being interior to the sealed envelope and arranged with respect to the shaped faces to provide at least one of a scanning and beam shaping pattern when the light in the fiber optic lines is appropriately sequenced; wherein the sequenced light impinging on the photocathodic material generates electrons which are directed to the anode by the voltage differential, resulting in at least one of scanning and beam shaped x-rays being generated by the anode and radiated out of the envelope.