US 12,480,895 B2
X-ray source for X-ray diffraction apparatus, related apparatus and method
Mohammed Belassel, LaSalle (CA); Alec Iskra, LaSalle (CA); and Stanislav Veinberg, LaSalle (CA)
Assigned to PROTO PATENTS LTD., Lasalle (CA)
Appl. No. 18/271,415
Filed by PROTO PATENTS LTD., LaSalle (CA)
PCT Filed Jan. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/CA2022/050017
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 7, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/147623, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 14, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/135,061, filed on Jan. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0060911 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 23/20008 (2018.01); G01N 23/207 (2018.01); H01J 35/04 (2006.01); H01J 35/12 (2006.01); H01J 35/16 (2006.01); H05G 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 23/20008 (2013.01) [G01N 23/207 (2013.01); H01J 35/04 (2013.01); H01J 35/13 (2019.05); H01J 35/16 (2013.01); H05G 1/04 (2013.01); G01N 2223/056 (2013.01); G01N 2223/1016 (2013.01); G01N 2223/204 (2013.01); H01J 2235/066 (2013.01); H01J 2235/162 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An X-ray source for an X-ray diffraction apparatus, the X-ray source comprising:
an anode target and a cathode filament, the cathode filament having an elongated body, the anode target and the cathode filament being operable to generate an X-ray beam;
a vacuum chamber enclosing the anode target and the cathode filament, the vacuum chamber having a window transparent to the X-ray beam;
an outer housing mountable to the X-ray diffraction apparatus in a fixed position, the outer housing comprising outer housing openings; and
an inner housing enclosing the vacuum chamber and rotatably mounted to the outer housing, the inner housing comprising inner housing openings positioned to be aligned with the window and the outer housing openings, the inner housing being rotatable with respect to the outer housing between a line focus configuration and a point focus configuration,
wherein, upon rotation of the inner housing with respect to the outer housing, the cathode filament is engaged in rotation therewith and the outer housing remains in the fixed position, such that:
in the line focus configuration, the elongated body of the cathode filament is substantially parallel to the window, thereby producing a line-shaped X-ray beam; and
in the point focus configuration, the elongated body of the cathode filament is substantially perpendicular to the window, thereby producing a point-shaped X-ray beam.