Development of carbon nanotubes emitter based multi x-ray source array for digital chest tomosynthesis system

Abstract

We designed an X-ray source using a carbon nanotubes-based electron emitter. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a cylindrical structure have excellent electrical and mechanical properties. For this reason, it is suitable as an electron emitter device of a field emission method and can be used as the X-ray source. CNTs were synthesized on an alloy substrate through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, and the substrate was used as a cathode in an electron emitter. The CNT-based emitter consists of a gate and a CNT cathode, and the emitter together with an anode constitutes an X-ray source. To improve the emitter's electron emission characteristics and durability, a MOSFET circuit was added between the CNT cathode and ground to enable pulse driving. In addition, the possibility of using the miniaturized X-ray sources as a multi-X-ray source arrays were confirmed by using the deMUX circuit to switch multiple emitters. The field emission characteristics of the CNT-based X-ray sources were analyzed, and it was confirmed that an X-ray image could be obtained.