X-ray source with cold emitter fabricated using ZnO conductive whiskers

A new structute for the surface illuminant X-ray source system using low-cost aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) whisker cold emitter is proposed and a prototype setup is introduced. The X-ray source was fabricated using a cold cathode that consists of an aggregation of conductive ZnO:Al whiskers. The ZnO:Al whiskers were deposited on an n-type single crystalline wafer of silicon by an atmospheric chemical-vapor-deposition method. The electron emission current from the ZnO:Al whiskers varied with the Al concentration of ZnO. The diode and triode X-ray sources generated X-rays from the tungsten used as an anode. X-ray images of a leaf and a small sardine were taken on medical X-ray films. Clear X-ray images were obtained.