KR102120400B1 - target unit and X-ray tube including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a target unit and an X-ray tube having the same. Its unit includes a window layer and a target disposed on the window layer. The target may have a Y-shaped first hole exposing the window layer in nano size.

Description

Target unit and X-ray tube including the same}

The present invention relates to an X-ray circle, specifically to a target unit and an X-ray tube having the same.

In general, the three-pole field emission x-ray source (x-ray source) is easy to control the amount of x-rays, since the amount of electron beams drawn out is determined by the voltage applied to the gate regardless of the anode voltage. Do. However, if the gate voltage is increased to increase the intensity (anode current) of the electron beam, the electron beam passing through the gate spreads radially, so there is a limit to minimizing the focus size of the electron beam reaching the anode target to a minimum. The smaller the focal size of the electron beam at the anode target, the more X-rays are emitted in a narrow area, so a clearer X-ray image is obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a target unit capable of minimizing the focal size of an electron beam and an X-ray tube having the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a target unit capable of outputting X-rays as parallel rays and an X-ray tube having the same.

The target unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, the window layer; And a target disposed on the window layer. The target may have a Y-shaped first hole exposing the window layer in nano size.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the entrance of the Y-shaped first hole may have a larger diameter than the outlet and a trumpet shape.

The side wall of the trumpet-shaped entrance may be stepped.

The target may include a target body having a second hole wider than the first hole; And ring pillars disposed on the target body in the second hole and having the first hole in the second hole.

The ring pillars, a first ring pillar formed along an inner wall of the second hole; And

It may include a second ring filler disposed in the first ring filler.

The first ring filler may have a first inner diameter that gradually increases as it moves away from the window layer, and may have a triangular shape.

The second ring pillar may have the first hole smaller than the first inner diameter, and may have a Y-shaped cross section.

The target and the ring filler may include copper, tungsten, or molybdenum.

X-ray tube according to another embodiment of the present invention, an electron source for generating an electron beam; And a target unit generating X-rays using the electron beam provided from the electron source. Here, the target unit includes a window layer that transmits the X-rays; And a target disposed on the window layer. The target may have a Y-shaped first hole exposing the window layer in nano size.

And a lens disposed between the electron source and the target unit to focus the electron beam on the first hole of the ring pillar.

The electron source includes a cathode; And a gate electrode disposed between the cathode and the target to emit the electron beam from the cathode.

As described above, the target unit according to embodiments of the present invention may include a window layer and a target having a hole and disposed on the window layer. The hall may have a Y-shape whose entrance is larger than the exit. The electron beam can be provided at the entrance of the hole. The entrance of the hole can minimize the focus size of the electron beam. Further, the exit of the hole may have a nanometer size. The X-rays can be output as a nearly parallel beam through the exit of the hole.

1 is a view showing an X-ray tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing a general target unit.
3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing in detail a target unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a cross-sectional view showing a target unit according to a first application example of the present invention.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing a target unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a cross-sectional view showing a target unit according to a second application example of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will be clarified with reference to embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but may be embodied in different forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed contents are thorough and complete and that the spirit of the present invention is sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals throughout the specification refer to the same components.

The terminology used herein is for describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. In the present specification, the singular form also includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the phrase. Includes and/or comprising as used in the specification excludes the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and/or elements mentioned components, steps, operations and/or elements. I never do that. In addition, since it is according to a preferred embodiment, reference numerals presented in the order of description are not necessarily limited to the order.

1 shows an X-ray tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, in an embodiment of the present invention, the X-ray tube may include an electron source 100, a lens 200, and a target unit 300.

The electron source 100 may generate an electron beam 130. The electron source 100 may include a cathode 120 and a gate electrode 110. The gate electrode 110 may be disposed between the cathode 120 and the target unit 300.

The lens 200 may be disposed between the electron source 100 and the target unit 300. The lens 200 may focus the electron beam 130 on the target unit 300.

The target unit 300 may be an anode. The target unit 300 may include a metal having excellent conductivity, such as copper, tungsten, or molybdenum. An induced voltage may be provided between the target unit 300 and the electron source 100. The cathode 120 may generate an electron beam 130. The gate electrode 110 may switch the electron beam 130. The present invention is not limited to this and may be variously modified. An additional voltage may be provided between the cathode 120 and the gate electrode 110.

According to an example, the target unit 300 may include a window layer 310 and a target 320. The target 320 may be disposed between the window layer 310 and the electron source 100. The target 320 and the window layer 310 may be coupled. The electron beam 130 may collide with the target 320. The target 320 may generate an X-ray 302. The X-ray 302 may have an output power proportional to the electric energy of the electron beam 130. The window layer 310 may be configured to project the X-ray 302 in the opposite direction of the electron beam 130.

2 shows a typical target unit 300.

1 and 2, the general target 320 may have a block shape. When the electron beam 130 is incident on one side of the target 320, the X-ray 302 may proceed in the other direction of the target 320. The electron beam 130 may be provided on the sidewall of the target 320. The X-ray 302 may pass through the target 320 and the window layer 310. The X-ray 302 may be radiated wider than the focusing spot size 140 of the electron beam 130. Here, the focal size 140 may correspond to the incident angle, focal angle, or focal area of the electron beam 130. In general, the lens 200 may provide the electron beam 130 to the target 320 at a focal size 140 of several micrometers or more.

3 and 4 show the target unit 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in detail.

1, 3 and 4, the target unit 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a target 320 having a first hole 322. The entrance 321 of the first hole 322 may be larger than the exit 323. According to an example, the entrance 321 of the first hole 322 may have a trumpet shape. The diameter of the first hole 322 may be gradually reduced from the inlet 321 to the outlet 323. For example, the first hole 322 may have a Y-shape. The first hole 322 may be formed by etching a focused ion beam. The side wall of the trumpet-shaped inlet 321 may be stepped.

Meanwhile, the electron beam 130 may be provided at the entrance 321 of the first hole 322. The electron beam 130 may be focused within the entrance 321. For example, the entrance 321 of the first hole 322 may have a diameter of about a few micrometers (µm). The outlet 323 of the first hole 322 may have a diameter of about a few nanometers (nm). The focal size 140 of the electron beam 130 can be determined by the diameter of the outlet 323. Accordingly, the first hole 322 may focus the electron beam 130 up to a focal size 140 of nanometers.

In addition, the first hole 322 may expose a portion of the window layer 310 to a nanometer size. The X-ray 302 may be generated in the first hole 322. The X-ray 302 may pass through the window layer 310. The X-rays 302 may be almost parallel beams.

5 shows a target unit 300 according to a first application example of the present invention.

1 and 5, the target unit 300 according to the first application example of the present invention may include a target 320 having a plurality of first holes 322. The electron beam 130 may be simultaneously provided to the plurality of first holes 322. Also, the electron beams 130 may be individually provided in the first holes 322. The first holes 322 may increase the life of the target 320. This is because any one of the first holes 322 may be replaced and used as the other.

6 shows a target unit 300 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the target unit 300 according to the second embodiment may include a target 320 having a target body 340 and ring pillars 330.

The target body 340 may be disposed on the window layer 310. The target body 340 may include a metal such as copper, tungsten, or molybdenum. The target body 340 may have a second hole 324. The second hole 324 may have a diameter of about several micrometers. The sidewall of the target body 340 in the second hole 324 may be perpendicular to the window layer 310.

The ring pillars 330 may be disposed in the second hole 324. Ring pillars 330 may be formed on the sidewall of the target body 340. The ring fillers 330 may be formed by a thin film deposition method, a photolithography method, an etching method, or a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) method. The ring filler 330 may include a metal such as copper, tungsten, or molybdenum.

According to an example, the ring pillars 330 may include a first ring pillar 332 and a second ring pillar 334. The first ring pillar 332 and the second ring pillar 334 may be sequentially stacked in the second hole 324.

The first ring pillar 332 may be coupled to the inner wall of the target body 340 in the second hole 324. The inner diameter of the first ring filler 332 may be gradually increased as it moves away from the window layer 310. The first ring pillar 332 may have a triangular cross section.

The second ring pillar 334 may be disposed in the first ring pillar 332. The second ring pillar 334 may have a first hole 322. The second ring pillar 334 may have a Y-shaped cross section in a direction away from the window layer 310.

7 shows a target unit 300 according to a second application example of the present invention.

1 and 7, a target 320 having a plurality of ring pillars 330 disposed in each of the second holes 324 of the target body 340 may be included. The ring pillars 330 may have first holes 322. If any one of the plurality of first holes 322 is damaged, the target unit 300 according to the second application example of the present invention may improve productivity because one of the plurality of first holes 322 is damaged.

The embodiments and application examples of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains may use the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential characteristics. It will be understood that it can be practiced. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments and application examples described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

100: electron source 110: gate electrode
120: cathode 130: electron beam
140: focal size 200: lens
300: target module 302: X-ray
310: window layer 320: target
322: first holes 324: second holes
330: ring fillers 332: first ring filler
334: second ring filler 340: target body

Claims (11)

Window layer; And
A target disposed on the window layer,
The target has a Y-shaped first hole exposing the window layer to a nano size,
The target is:
A target body having a second hole wider than the first hole; And
A target unit including ring pillars disposed on the target body in the second hole and having the first hole in the second hole. According to claim 1,
The Y-shaped target unit having an inlet of the first hole and a trumpet shape having a larger diameter than the outlet. According to claim 2,
The side wall of the trumpet-shaped entrance is a stepped target unit. delete According to claim 1,
The ring fillers are:
A first ring pillar formed along the inner wall of the second hole; And
A target unit including a second ring pillar disposed within the first ring pillar. The method of claim 5,
The first ring pillar has a first inner diameter gradually increasing as it moves away from the window layer, and a target unit having a triangular shape. The method of claim 6,
The second ring pillar has a first hole smaller than the first inner diameter, and a target unit having a Y-shaped cross section. According to claim 1,
The target is a target unit comprising copper, tungsten, or molybdenum. An electron source generating an electron beam; And
Including the target unit for generating an X-ray using the electron beam provided from the electron source,
The target unit,
A window layer that transmits the X-rays; And
A target disposed on the window layer,
The target has a Y-shaped first hole exposing the window layer in nano size,
The target is:
A target body having a second hole wider than the first hole; And
An X-ray tube including ring fillers disposed on the target body in the second hole and having the first hole in the second hole. The method of claim 9,
An X-ray tube including a lens disposed between the electron source and the target unit to focus the electron beam in the first hole. The method of claim 9,
The electron source is:
Cathode; And
An X-ray tube disposed between the cathode and the target and including a gate electrode that emits the electron beam from the cathode.

Images