Granted Patent B2

US 12,488,956 · App. 18/456,259 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Inventors: Felix Düsberg (Munich, DE); Florian Schneider (Munich, DE); Michael Bachmann (Munich, DE); Andreas Pahlke (Brunnthal, DE)

Assignee: KETEK GmbH Halbleiter- und Reinraumtechnik

H01J35/18H01J5/18H01J35/186H01J2235/081H01J2235/083H01J2235/084H01J2235/086H01J2235/183H05G1/20

Abstract

Claims (68)

1 . An X-ray source comprising:

an electron source configured to emit electrons;

an acceleration set-up configured to accelerate the emitted electrons; and

a transmission window downwards of the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window is configured to let through X-rays generated by the accelerated electrons,

wherein the transmission window is located in a straight extension of a line-of-flight of the accelerated electrons and past the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window comprises a carbon carrier,

wherein the carbon carrier comprises sp2-hybridized carbon, and

wherein the carbon carrier is an electron target and is configured to generate the X-rays of a characteristic carbon X-ray line based on being hit by the accelerated electrons.

2 . The X-ray source of claim 1 ,

wherein a mass proportion of carbon of the carbon carrier is at least 95%,

wherein the carbon of the carbon carrier is predominantly sp2-hybridized so that in a deconvoluted Raman spectrum of the carbon carrier a 2D-peak, in a range between 2650 cm −1 and 2750 cm −1 measured with laser excitation at 532 nm, has by at least a factor of two a larger area content than a sp3-peak in a range between 1250 cm −1 and 1350 cm −1 .

3 . The X-ray source of claim 2 , wherein the carbon carrier is of pyrolytic carbon.

4 . The X-ray source of claim 1 ,

wherein the transmission window further comprises a target layer carried by the carbon carrier,

wherein the target layer is located on a side of the carbon carrier facing the electron source, and

wherein the target layer is of at least on metal and is thinner than the carbon carrier.

5 . The X-ray source of claim 4 , wherein the target layer is configured to be hit by the accelerated electrons and a carbon layer is configured to be passed by the X-rays generated upon impact of the accelerated electrons on the target layer.

6 . The X-ray source of claim 4 , wherein the target layer is directly applied on the carbon carrier.

7 . The X-ray source of claim 4 ,

wherein the transmission window further comprises a bonding layer, and

wherein the bonding layer is located between the target layer and the carbon carrier and is of at least one inorganic material.

8 . The X-ray source of claim 4 , further comprising a window frame, wherein the window frame carries the transmission window and is attached on the acceleration set-up.

9 . The X-ray source of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the carbon carrier is between 4 mm and 4 cm, inclusive, and

wherein the X-ray source is free of any auxiliary structures supporting a central part of the transmission window, seen in top view, where a focal spot of the accelerated electrons is located.

10 . An X-ray source comprising:

an electron source configured to emit electrons;

an acceleration set-up configured to accelerate the emitted electrons; and

a transmission window downwards of the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window is configured to let through X-rays generated by the accelerated electrons,

wherein the transmission window is located off a line-of-flight of the accelerated electrons and past the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window comprises a carbon carrier,

wherein the carbon carrier comprises sp2-hybridized carbon,

wherein the carbon carrier is of pyrolytic carbon,

wherein a thickness of a carbon layer is at most 10 μm,

wherein a mass proportion of carbon of the transmission window in an area configured to be passed by the X-rays is at least 90%, and

wherein the acceleration set-up is configured for an acceleration voltage of at most 1.5 kV.

11 . The X-ray source of claim 10 , further comprising an electronics unit configured to provide the acceleration voltage,

wherein a low-voltage side and a high-voltage side of the electronics unit are connected by a one-stage voltage changer.

12 . The X-ray source of claim 10 , wherein the carbon layer is configured to be electrically on ground.

13 . The X-ray source of claim 10 , wherein the transmission window is a side window, and

wherein the accelerated electrons are divertible from the transmission window.

14 . An X-ray source comprising:

an electron source configured to emit electrons;

an acceleration set-up configured to accelerate the emitted electrons; and

a transmission window downwards of the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window is configured to let through X-rays generated by the accelerated electrons,

wherein the transmission window comprises a carbon carrier,

wherein the carbon carrier comprises sp2-hybridized carbon,

wherein the acceleration set-up is configured for an acceleration voltage of at most 5 kV,

wherein the transmission window is located off a line-of-flight and past the acceleration set-up so that the transmission window is a side window,

wherein the accelerated electrons are divertible from the transmission window,

wherein the carbon carrier is of pyrolytic carbon,

wherein a thickness of a carbon layer is at most 10 μm,

wherein a mass proportion of carbon of the transmission window in an area configured to be passed by the X-rays is at least 90%, and

wherein a low-voltage side and a high-voltage side of an electronics unit are connected by a one-stage voltage changer, the electronics unit is configured to provide the acceleration voltage.

15 . An X-ray source comprising:

an electron source configured to emit electrons;

an acceleration set-up configured to accelerate the emitted electrons; and

a transmission window downwards of the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window is configured to let through X-rays generated by the accelerated electrons,

wherein the transmission window is located off a line-of-flight of the accelerated electrons and past the acceleration set-up,

wherein the transmission window comprises a carbon carrier,

wherein the carbon carrier comprises sp2-hybridized carbon,

wherein the transmission window is a side window,

wherein the accelerated electrons are divertible from the transmission window,

wherein a thickness of a carbon layer is at most 25 μm, and

wherein a mass proportion of carbon of the transmission window in an area configured to be passed by the X-rays is at least 90%.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (43)