Apparatus and method for improved transient response in an electromagnetically controlled x-ray tube

摘要

An x-ray tube assembly (14) includes a vacuum vessel (52) that includes a cathode portion (56), an anode portion (60), and a neck portion (84). The neck portion (84) includes a magnetic field region (100), an upstream region (110), and a downstream region (118). The magnetic field region (100) has a first susceptibility to generation of eddy currents in the presence of a magnetic field intensity. The upstream region (110) is connected to the cathode portion (56) and the magnetic field region (100) and has a second susceptibility to generating eddy currents in the presence of magnetic field intensity. The downstream region (118) is connected to the magnetic field region (100) and has a third susceptibility to generate eddy currents in the presence of magnetic field intensity. The first susceptibility to generate eddy currents is less than the second and third susceptibility to generate eddy currents. The assembly (14) includes an anode (58) in the anode portion (60) and a cathode (54) in the cathode portion (56).