Patent ID: 6876724

Claim:
A system to generate and detect x-rays comprising: a cathode structure having a plurality of individually electrically addressable field emissive electron sources defining a plurality of cathodes, each cathode disposed on a first side of the cathode structure; a target structure having a deflection surface facing the first side of the cathode structure, the deflection surface defining a target; an object positioner disposed within an imaging zone; and a detector structure to receive and detect an x-ray from the target, wherein each cathode comprises a substrate and a gate electrode positioned parallel to and insulated from the substrate, the substrate comprising a field emissive material having an emitted electron current density of at least 1 mA/cm 2 when the cathode is subjected to an applied electrical field of at least 2V/μm, wherein the field emissive material is selected from the group consisting of single walled carbon nanotubes, double walled carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, nanotubes comprising at least one non-carbon element, or a nanorod/nanowire comprising at least one of a metal, a metal oxide, silicon, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, carbon nitride, boron nitride, boron carbide, or a chalcogenide.