Hybrid multi-source x-ray source and imaging system

1 . A system, comprising:

a plurality of x-ray sources comprising:

a first electron source configured to generate a first electron beam;

a second electron source configured to generate a second electron beam; and

a target configured to:

receive the first electron beam and convert the first electron beam into a first x-ray beam; and

receive the second electron beam and convert the second electron beam into a second x-ray beam;

a collimator;

a filter downstream of the collimator; and

a first focusing electrode;

wherein:

a surface of the target is disposed at an angle relative to the first electron beam that is different from perpendicular;

a first edge of the collimator closest to the first electron source is closer to the first electron source than a central axis of the first x-ray beam before entering the collimator;

a second edge of the collimator opposite to the first edge is at the central axis of the first x-ray beam before entering the collimator or closer to the first electron source than the central axis of the first x-ray beam before entering the collimator;

a first edge of the filter closest to the first electron source has a first thickness;

a second edge of the filter opposite the first edge of the filter has a second thickness less than the first thickness;

the first electron source is configured to direct the first electron beam through the first focusing electrode; and

the second electron source is configured to direct the second electron beam to the target without passing through a focusing electrode.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

a first x-ray source of the plurality of x-ray sources is different from a second x-ray source of the plurality of x-ray sources; and

the target is a linear target.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises at least one of molybdenum (Mo), rhodium (Rh), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or stainless steel.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

a first x-ray source of the plurality of x-ray sources operates at a first maximum current; and

a second x-ray source of the plurality of x-ray sources operates at a second maximum current different from the first maximum current.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a cooling system configured to provide different cooling to a first region of the target associated with the first x-ray source and a second region of the target associated with the second x-ray source.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein:

a third x-ray source of the plurality of x-ray sources operates at the first maximum current;

the first x-ray source and the third x-ray source are generated by the first electron beam and a third electron beam focused on a first region of the target; and

the second x-ray source is generated by the second electron beam directed to a second region of the target different from the first region.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first focusing electrode is configured to focus the first electron beam and the third electron beam without focusing the second electron beam.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein;

a first surface of the target is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the target and disposed at a first angle relative to the first electron beam;

a second surface of the target is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the target and disposed at a second angle relative to the second electron beam; and

the second angle is different from the first angle.

9 . An x-ray system comprising:

a target;

a first electron source configured to generate a first electron beam directed toward a first region of the target at a first angle perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the target;

a second electron source configured to generate a second electron beam directed toward a second region of the target at a second angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the target; and

a third electron source configured to generate a third electron beam directed toward the second region of the target at a third angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the target, wherein:

at least one of the second electron source or the third electron source is larger or smaller than the first electron source.

10 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , further comprising a focusing electrode, wherein:

the first electron source is configured to generate the first electron beam directed toward the target outside of the focusing electrode; and

the second and third electron sources are configured to generate the second and third electron beams directed toward the target through the focusing electrode.

11 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first electron source is configured to operate at a first maximum current; and

the second and third electron sources are configured to operate at a second maximum current different from the first maximum current.

12 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first region comprises a first surface angled at a first angle relative to the first electron beam and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the target;

the second region comprises a second surface angled at a second angle relative to the second and third electron beams and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the target; and

the second angle is different from the first angle.

13 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , wherein a first material of the target in the first region is different from a second material of the target in the second region.

14 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first electron source comprises a first type of electron emitter; and

the second and third electron sources comprise a second type of electron emitter different from the first type of electron emitter.

15 . The x-ray system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first electron source is configured to direct the first electron beam towards a first focal spot on the target having a first area;

the second electron source is configured to direct the second electron beam towards a second focal spot on the target having a second area; and

the first area is different from the second area.

16 . An x-ray source comprising:

a target defining a first region with a first slope relative to a longitudinal axis of the target and a second region with a second slope different from the first slope relative to the longitudinal axis;

a first electron source configured to generate a first electron beam in a first focal spot in the first region with a first area on the target; and

a second electron source configured to generate a second electron beam in a second focal spot in the second region with a second area on the target, the second area being larger or smaller than the first area, the second area being spatially separated from overlapping the first area, wherein:

the first slope is angled at a first angle relative to a first axis of the first electron beam;

the second slope is angled at a second angle relative to a second axis of the second electron beam; and

the second angle is closer to 90° than the first angle.

17 . The x-ray source of claim 16 , wherein the second electron source and the second area are larger than the first electron source and the first area, respectively.

18 . The x-ray source of claim 16 , wherein the second electron source is configured to generate the second electron beam with a lower maximum current than the first electron beam and the second area is smaller than the first area.

19 . The x-ray source of claim 16 , wherein:

the second area is larger than the first area.