Multibeam x-ray source with intelligent electronic control systems and related methods

1. A method for performing an x-ray scan comprising:

providing a multibeam field emission x-ray system comprising a plurality of cathode elements, an anode assembly spaced from the plurality of cathode elements, and an extraction gate positioned between the plurality of cathode elements and the anode assembly;

applying a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements to cause an emission of electrons from the respective cathode elements;

measuring emission characteristics of the plurality of cathode elements; and

adjusting the potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements based on the emission characteristics measured.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements comprises connecting the extraction gate to a ground potential and applying a negative potential to the at least one of the plurality of cathode elements.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring emission characteristics comprises measuring an output current of the plurality of cathode elements.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the potential difference based on the emission characteristics measured comprises adjusting the potential difference to maintain a substantially constant output current.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output current is maintained at an output current that deviates not more than about 1 to 5 percent of a desired output current.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein measuring emission characteristics of the plurality of cathode elements comprises measuring integral of the emission current over time supplied by the multibeam field emission X-ray system; and

wherein adjusting the potential difference based on the emission characteristics measured comprises stopping the emission of electrons when the integral equals a desired value.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the emission of electrons is stopped when the integral of the emission current over time is within about 1 to 5 percent of a desired value.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising focusing electrons emitted from the plurality of cathode elements towards the anode assembly.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising synchronizing application of a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements with a system master that controls an imaging or treatment device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the extraction gate comprises a plurality of gate segments, each gate segment corresponding to a subset of the plurality of cathode elements; and

applying a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements comprises applying a potential difference between at least one of the plurality of cathode elements and a corresponding gate segment.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements comprises independently regulating the potential difference between the extraction gate and each of the plurality of cathode elements.

12. A multibeam field emission x-ray system comprising:

a plurality of cathode elements;

an anode assembly spaced from the plurality of cathode elements;

an extraction gate positioned between the plurality of cathode elements and the anode assembly; and

an electronic control system configured to control an application of a potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements to cause an emission of electrons from the respective cathode elements, to measure emission characteristics of the plurality of cathode elements, and to adjust the potential difference between the extraction gate and at least one of the plurality of cathode elements based on the emission characteristics measured.

13. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein each of the cathode elements comprising an electrically conductive substrate with a nanostructure film deposited onto the substrate, the substrate being attached to an electrically insulating material.

14. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 13 , wherein the nanostructure film comprises a carbon nanotube based film.

15. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein the extraction gate is connected to a ground potential; and

wherein the electronic control system configured to apply a negative potential to the at least one of the plurality of cathode elements.

16. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein the anode assembly comprises an anode-side collimator.

17. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein:

the extraction gate comprises a plurality of gate segments, each gate segment corresponding to a subset of the plurality of cathode elements; and

the electronic control system is separately connected to each of the gate segments for independent control of the potential difference between each of the gate segments and the corresponding subset of the plurality of cathode elements.

18. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 17 , wherein a separate electronic control system is connected to each of the gate segments.

19. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of cathode elements, the extraction gate, and the anode assembly are contained in a vacuum housing, the vacuum housing comprising electrical feedthroughs for making electrical connections to one or more of the cathode elements, the extraction gate, and the anode assembly.

20. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , wherein the electronic control system is separately connected to each of the plurality of cathode elements for independent control of each of the plurality of cathode elements.

21. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , comprising a focusing structure associated with each of the plurality of cathode elements and positioned between the plurality of cathode elements and the anode assembly.

22. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 12 , comprising a system master that controls an imaging or treatment device, the system master being in communication with the electronic control system via an electrical interface.

23. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 22 , wherein the electrical interface comprises real-time signals for synchronizing operation of the electronic control system with the system master.

24. The multibeam field emission x-ray system of claim 22 , wherein the electrical interface comprises a data channel for transferring information between the electronic control system and the system master.