X-RAY TUBE HAVING PLANAR EMITTER WITH TUNABLE EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS AND MAGNETIC STEERING AND FOCUSING

摘要

An X-ray tube can include: a cathode including an electron emitter that emits an electron beam; an anode configured to receive the emitted electrons of the electron beam; a first magnetic quadrupole between the cathode and the anode; a second magnetic quadrupole between the first magnetic quadrupole and the anode; a magnetic dipole between the cathode and anode; and a power supply system operably coupled with the first magnetic quadrupole, second magnetic quadrupole, and magnetic dipole, the power supply system being configured to: produce a first focusing magnetic quadrupole field at the first magnetic quadrupole; produce a second focusing magnetic quadrupole field at the second magnetic quadrupole; and produce a steering magnetic dipole field at the magnetic dipole configured to deflect the electron beam in order to shift a focal spot of the electron beam on the anode.