Patent ID: 7567650

Claim:
An X-ray anode for the emission of fluorescent X-rays in response to the incidence of electrons, said anode comprising a ring-shaped primary target for the emission of primary X-rays in response to the incidence of the electrons and a secondary target for the emission of fluorescent X-rays in response to the incidence of the primary X-rays, wherein said primary target comprises a liquid metal channel arranged in a radial direction relative to a central axis, said radial direction being substantially transverse to said central axis, said central axis being substantially parallel with a direction of said emission of electrons, said liquid metal channel operable to circulate liquid metal therethrough, during operation of the X-ray source anode, in the radial direction, the liquid metal entering an inlet at an inner side of said ring-shaped primary target and leaving from an outlet at an outer side of said ring-shaped primary target, such that primary X-rays are generated in the liquid metal when struck by an electron beam, wherein the inner side is closer to the central axis than the outer side along the radial direction.