Compact and Rugged X-Ray Tube Using Carbon Nanotube Cathode

Microwave Power Technology

Campbell, CA 
 

A new design of electron optics for forming and focusing electron beams that is applicable to a broad class of vacuum electron devices

• Defined a modification to the emission equation in commercial computer code for calculating electron trajectories
  
• Built an X-ray tube with an electron beam originating from a 1.2 mm diameter cathode that was successfully focused to an 80 micron diameter spot on the X-ray target

• Agreement with Oxford X-ray Technology for laboratory space and support  in exchange for commercial rights to MTP devices developed within their facility
• Valence Corporation has provided equipment and support for development of improved electron beam sources for commercial and environmental applications
• Oxford X-ray Technologies produced their Eclipse 1 and 2 X-ray tubes from MPT’s prototype that is used in hand held and portable fluorescence spectrometers for in situ analysis of materials and surfaces
• The EclipseE2 X-ray tube is still in production and being sold for use in equipment for monitoring paper coating and other processes

• Can provide inherently rugged and more efficient X-ray sources for in situ analysis of materials on the various solid bodies in the solar system
• Compact and rugged X-ray source is suitable for smaller rovers that will be used on future missions
• CNT cold cathode technology has the potential to provide electron beam sources to reduce undesirable emissions from small, widely distributed pollution sources and remediation of polluted sites

Return to NASA SBIR Success Listings 

Electronic Systems/Components, Instrumentation, Nanotechnology

Curator: SBIR Support              04/20/07