Study of a new portable x-ray source with micro-beam

A novel X-ray source with micro-beam has been studied in theory and experiment. The source is composed of three portions: LaB6 crystal cathode electron gun emitting system, electrostatic focusing system, and permutable metal target system. The electronic current emitted by the electron-gun are controlled by modulating cathode temperature and Wehnelt grid voltage and ratio Dw/H, two-equal-radius-cylinder-electrodes focusing system concentrates electron beam, the X-ray photons are irradiated by high energy electron beam bombarding the metal target. The new x-ray source's general-purpose capabilities such as continuous radiation and pulse radiation, focus size and luminance, are also tested. When the temperature of LaB6 cathode is about 1900K and partial pressures being kept below 10-7 torr, the minimal focus diameter is merely about 10 microns. The new micro focus x-ray source has other lots of advantages such as economy, safety and facility.