Development of a compact high-current repetitive pulsed x-ray system

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Engineering
• Radiation Science

Background:

• Pulsed x-rays are vital for radiography and studying radiation effects.
• Existing systems often compromise between high dose rate and repetitive pulsing capability.
• Sub-100 keV pulsed x-ray systems face limitations in dose rate or total dose in single-pulse or repetitive modes, respectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact, high-current, repetitive pulsed x-ray system for high dose rate applications.
• To generate pulsed x-rays with an average energy below 100 keV.
• To achieve uniform x-ray output using a specialized diode design.

Main Methods:

• Designed and tested a low-impedance diode with a double-ring cathode for uniform x-ray production.
• Investigated x-ray intensity and repetition rate effects with varying anode thicknesses (five tested).
• Operated the system at a repetitive rate of 0.2 Hz with peak voltage and current measurements.

Main Results:

• The system achieved stable operation at 0.2 Hz, ~200 kV peak voltage, and ~100 kA peak current.
• A dose rate of approximately 2.4 × 10^5 Gy(LiF)/s was recorded.
• Average x-ray energy was ~55 keV with a 40 µm tantalum anode, and x-ray uniformity exceeded 2:1.

Conclusions:

• The developed compact system effectively generates high dose rate, repetitive pulsed x-rays below 100 keV.
• The double-ring cathode diode design ensures good x-ray uniformity.
• This system offers a promising solution for applications needing intense, repetitive pulsed x-ray sources.