Characteristic X-ray Generator Utilizing Angle Dependence of Bremsstrahlung X-ray Distribution

Abstract

This generator consists of the following components: a constant high-voltage power supply, a filament power supply, a turbomolecular pump, and an X-ray tube. The X-ray tube is a demountable diode which is connected to the turbomolecular pump and consists of the following major devices: a molybdenum rod target, a tungsten hairpin cathode (filament), a focusing (Wehnelt) electrode, a polyethylene terephthalate X-ray window 0.25 mm in thickness, and a stainless-steel tube body. In the X-ray tube, the positive high voltage is applied to the anode (target) electrode, and the cathode is connected to the tube body (ground potential). In this experiment, the tube voltage applied was from 22 to 36 kV, and the tube current was regulated to within 100 µA by the filament temperature. The exposure time is controlled in order to obtain optimum X-ray intensity. The electron beams from the cathode are converged to the target by the focusing electrode, and clean K-series characteristic X-rays are produced through the focusing electrode without using a filter. The X-ray intensity was 26.6 µGy/s at 1.0 m from the X-ray source with a tube voltage of 30 kV and a tube current of 100 µA, and quasi-monochromatic radiography was performed using a computed radiography system.