A carbon nanotube field-emission X-ray tube with a stationary anode target

摘要

We have successfully fabricated the vacuum-sealed compact X-ray tube with carbon nanotube (CNT) emitters without any active vacuum pump. The adhesion between the CNT emitter and cathode substrate was greatly improved such that no detachment occurs when the emitter generates high current. The CNT emitter has reliable electron emission characteristics after it goes through vacuum brazing procedure at high temperature. In order to design the X-ray tube with a stationary anode target, we have performed thermal analysis of stationary anode target surface. The field emission pulse-current was observed to be stable, about 90 mA at an anode voltage of 10 kV, and similar to 80% of the field emission current arrived at the cathode. Also, the vacuum level of the vacuum sealed X-ray tube was maintained quite well, which was indirectly confirmed by the stable field emission current. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.