X-RAY METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS

摘要

An improved efficiency x-ray source comprised of a fluorescent x-ray tube and resonant high voltage power supply. The fluorescent x-ray tube is an arc discharge tube filled with a low-pressure vapor, xenon for example, that is excited by high-frequency, high-voltage pulses to produce x-rays. The power supply passes arcs through the tube that produce significantly more radiation per unit energy than equivalent conventional vacuum x-ray tubes. The power supply may be a high frequency resonant AC supply or it may be rectified to give resonant DC. The fluorescent tube is driven in cold cathode mode, avoiding a fragile filament. The arc gap may also be large or very small in order to serve as a broad beam source or point source.