The fundamental studies for the repetitive high-intensity microsecond x-ray generator utilizing a cold cathode tetrode are described. This generator consisted of the following essential components: a constant high-voltage power supply, an energy storage condenser of 500nF, an main discharge condenser of lOnF, a turbo molecular pump, a repetitive trigger device, and an x-ray tube. The condenser was charged from 40 to 80kV, and the electric charges in the condenser were discharged repetitively to an x-ray tube by a trigger device. The x-ray tube was of the tetrode type which was connected to a turbo molecular pump and consisted of the following major parts: a rod-shaped long anode tip made of tungsten, a cathode rod made of graphite, a ring-shaped grid electrode, and a trigger electrode. The trigger electrode was mounted at the center of the cathode electrode and was insulated by a ceramic tube. The tube current was about 0. 4kA with a charged voltage of 60kV. The x-ray pulse height and the time-integrated intensity increased when the condenser charged voltage was increased, and the intensity was less than 2. OpC/kg at lm per pulse. The exposure times were about 2Ops, and the repetition frequency was less than 50Hz.

Date Published: 1 April 1991
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 1358, 19th Intl Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics, (1 April 1991); doi: 10.1117/12.24045

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1358:
19th Intl Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics
Peter W. W. Fuller, Editor(s)