X-ray generator including heat sink block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9508522-B2
Application number	US-201414207216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

An x-ray generator includes a housing, a cathode block that is arranged in the housing and emits electrons via a field emission scheme, an anode block that is arranged in the housing and generates x-rays in response to the electrons emitted from the cathode block and collide with the anode block, and a heat sink block that contacts the cathode block and dissipates heat generated therein to an outside of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An x-ray generator comprising:
a housing;
a cathode block which is arranged in the housing and emits electrons via a field emission scheme;
an anode block which is arranged in the housing and generates x-rays in response to the electrons which are emitted from the cathode block and collide with the anode block; and
a heat sink which contacts the cathode block and disperses heat generated therein to an outside of the housing,
wherein the cathode block comprises:
a cathode electrode;
a plurality of emitters arranged on the cathode electrode;
a mesh-type gate electrode spaced apart from the cathode electrode;
an insulating layer arranged between the cathode electrode and the mesh-type gate electrode and comprising a plurality of gate spacers which are alternately arranged with the emitters; and
a charge prevention film arranged on the insulating layer, and

wherein the charge prevention film prevents the insulating layer from being electrically charged by electrons generated by the emitters, and
wherein a portion of the heat sink is exposed to the outside of the housing.

2. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein a concave-convex portion is defined on the exposed portion of the heat sink.

3. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein
the heat sink has a pillar shape,
one side of the pillar shape contacts the cathode block, and
another side of the pillar shape is exposed to the outside of the housing.

4. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink has a shell shape having an empty space defined therein.

5. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink has a circular cross-section, an oval cross-section, or a polygonal cross-section.

6. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises at least one of Cu, Al, Cr, Invar, ITO, Mo, and W.

7. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein an inside of the housing is in a vacuum state.

8. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein a number of the emitters is substantially inversely proportional to a volume of the heat sink.

9. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein the cathode block further comprises:
a bonding layer arranged between the insulating layer and the mesh-type gate electrode.

10. The x-ray generator of claim 9 , wherein the bonding layer comprises glass.

11. The x-ray generator of claim 9 , wherein the bonding layer comprises glass frit.

12. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein each of the emitters comprises carbon nanotubes.

13. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of openings is defined in the mesh-type gate electrode, and
at least a portion of each of the emitters is exposed by the openings, respectively.

14. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the insulating layer and the emitters has a line shape.

15. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein
the insulating layer comprises a plurality of gate spacers, and
the charge prevention film is arranged at a side surface of the gate spacers and is connected to the mesh-type gate electrode.

16. The x-ray generator of claim 1 , wherein a resistivity of the charge prevention film is between a resistivity of the mesh-type gate electrode and a resistivity of the gate spacers.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Stanford Res Inst Int

Inventors

• Park Shang-Hyeun
• Schwoebel Paul R
• Kim Il-Hwan
• Kim Do-Yoon
• Kim Yong-Chul
• Lee Chang-Soo
• Jeong Tae-Won

Classifications

• H01J2201/304

  Field emission cathodes · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• H01J3/38

  Mounting, supporting, spacing, or insulating electron-optical or ion-optical arrangements · CPC title

• Y10S977/939

  Electron emitter, e.g. spindt emitter tip coated with nanoparticles · CPC title

• A61B6/4064

  specially adapted for producing a particular type of beam · CPC title