Patent ID: 6965662

Claim:
An x-ray laminography imaging system that generates a moving pattern of x-ray spots on a nonplanar metallic anode target synchronously with rotation of an x-ray detector to reduce or eliminate the need to move an object being imaged, the system comprising: an electron beam source, the electron beam source projecting a beam of electrons along a Z-axis of the system; a nonplanar metal anode target, the electron beams projected by the electron beam source impinging on the target at particular locations on the target to produce paths of x-ray spots having selected configurations, and wherein x-rays emanate from the target at the locations of the spots on the target; an electron beam deflection controller, the electron beam deflection controller controlling the deflection of the beam of electrons produced by the electron beam source to cause the electron beams to be deflected in an X-direction and a Y-direction in a selected manner so that the electron beams impinge on the target at particular locations on the target to produce x-ray spot paths having selected configurations, the X-direction and the Y-direction being perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the Z-direction, and wherein the configurations of the x-ray spot paths are selectable to be in a plane oblique to an X-Y plane and substantially parallel to a selected of a region to be imaged with respect to the X, Y and Z-directions; and an x-ray detector, the detector receiving x-rays that emanate from the target and pass through the object and converting the received x-rays into electrical signals from which an image of at least a portion of the object can be constructed.