Multitarget x-ray tube

Claim 2

A multitarget x-ray tube comprising: a target support; a number of targets on said target support, wherein each target has a differently oriented x-ray emitting surface and is made of a different x-ray emitting material; an individually controlled electron gun for each of said targets, each gun emitting electrons which impinge on its target to cause x-ray emission therefrom; a housing enclosing at least said targets and having a separate x-ray window for an x-ray beam from each of said targets.

Claim 3

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 1 including collimation which is inside said housing and separates said x-ray beams from each other.

Claim 4

An x-ray tube as in claim 2 in which said target support has therein channels which separate adjacent targets from each other to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 5

An x-ray tube as in claim 3 in which said target support has a multifaceted front end and each of said targets is at a respective facet of said front end, and wherein said front end has an axial depression which is deeper than said channel to further reduce cross-talk.

Claim 6

An x-ray tube as in claim 4 in which the outside edges of said channels and said axial depression are rounded to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 7

An x-ray tube as in claim 5 in which said target support is round and has a diameter of about 0.75", the axial extent of said front end is about 0.10", said channels are about 0.10" deep and wide, and said axial depression is about 0.25" deep and about 0.25 in diameter.

Claim 8

An x-ray tube as in claim 6 in which said housing is a vacuum vessel and said collimation comprises respective tubular collimators for said beams which are inside said housing and space said beams from each other inside the housing and direct them along directions substantially parallel to the axis of said target support.

Claim 9

An x-ray tube as in claim 7 including a network for individually controlling said electron guns to generate a selected pattern and/or sequence.

Claim 10

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 1 in which said target support has therein channels which separate adjacent targets from each other to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 11

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 9 in which said target support has a multifaceted front end and each of said targets is at a respective facet of said front end, and wherein said front end has an axial depression which is deeper than said channel to further reduce cross-talk.

Claim 12

An x-ray tube as in claim 10 in which the outside edges of said channels and said axial depression are rounded to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 13

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 1 in which said target support has a multifaceted front end and each of said targets is at a respective facet of said front end, and wherein said front end has an axial depression which separates front portions of said targets from each other to help reduce cross-talk.

Claim 14

An x-ray tube as in claim 1 in which said collimation comprises respective tubular collimators for said beams which are inside said housing and space said beams from each other inside the housing and direct them along respective beam paths.

Claim 15

An x-ray tube as in claim 1 in which the materials for said targets are selected from the group consisting of Ti, Cr. Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, Ag, Ta, W, Re, Pt and Au.

Claim 16

An x-ray tube as in claim 1 including a network for individually controlling said electron guns to generate a selected pattern and/or sequence of said x-ray beams.

Claim 17

An x-ray tube comprising: a target support; a number of targets on said target support, wherein each target has a differently oriented x-ray emitting surface and is made of a different x-ray emitting material; an electron source individually controlled to selectively energize any one of said targets to thereby cause any individual target or any selected combination of targets to emit a respective beam of x-rays; an internal collimating structure in said housing to collimate said x-ray beams from the respective targets into respective individually collimated x-ray beams.

Claim 18

An x-ray tube comprising: a target support; a number of targets on said target support, wherein each target has a differently oriented x-ray emitting surface and is made of a different x-ray emitting material; an electron source individually controlled to selectively energize any one of said targets to thereby cause any individual target or any selected combination of targets to emit a respective beam of x-rays; an internal collimating structure in said housing to collimate said x-ray beams from the respective targets into respective individually collimated x-ray beams.

Claim 19

An x-ray tube as in claim 16 in which said target support has therein channels which separate adjacent targets from each other to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 20

An x-ray tube as in claim 17 in which said target support has a multifaceted front end and each of said targets is at a respective facet of said front end, and wherein said front end has an axial depression which is deeper than said channel to further reduce cross-talk.

Claim 21

An x-ray tube as in claim 18 in which the outside edges of said channels and said axial depression are rounded to reduce cross-talk.

Claim 24

A method as in claim 20 in which said collimating step comprises taking said beams outside the tube housing through separate windows.

Claim 25

A method as in claim 21 in which said collimating step further comprises collimating said beams by separate collimators inside said tube housing.

Claim 26

A multitarget x-ray tube comprising: a target support having at least one x-ray window which has an inside surface and an outside surface; a number of x-ray targets which are at the inside surface of said at least one x-ray window and are substantially coplanar and selectively made of different x-ray emitting materials; an individually controlled electron beam source for each of said targets, each source emitting a respective electron beam which travels to its respective target along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the target and causes the target to emit an x-ray flux which passes through the outside surface of said at least one x-ray window in a direction generally following the direction of the impinging electron beam; a housing enclosing at least said targets and said electron sources such that said inside surface of said at least one window is inside said housing.

Claim 27

A multitarget x-ray tube comprising: a target support having at least one x-ray window which has an inside surface and an outside surface; a number of x-ray targets which are at the inside surface of said at least one x-ray window and are substantially coplanar and selectively made of different x-ray emitting materials; an individually controlled electron beam source for each of said targets, each source emitting a respective electron beam which travels to its respective target along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the target and causes the target to emit an x-ray flux which passes through the outside surface of said at least one x-ray window in a direction generally following the direction of the impinging electron beam; a housing enclosing at least said targets and said electron sources such that said inside surface of said at least one window is inside said housing.

Claim 28

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 23 in which said x-ray targets are sputtered on the inside surface of said at least one x-ray window.

Claim 29

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 24 which has a single x-ray window and in which said targets are at the inside surface of the same single window but are spaced from each other along said inside surface.

Claim 30

A multitarget x-ray tube a in claim 25 including collimators which extend from said targets toward the interior of said housing to help reduce cross-talk between the electron beams and between the targets.

Claim 31

A multitarget x-ray tube as in claim 26 in which said collimators comprise a respective tubular collimator for each of said targets, each tubular collimator surrounding its target and extending therefrom toward the interior of said housing.