Optimum design for the carbon nanotube based micro-focus X-ray tube

•A CNT-based micro-focus X-ray tube with dual focusing lens.•A manipulation of the factors and its effect on the focal spot size analysis.•A similar result via simulation and experimental for focal spot size.•A high resolution image using a standard line pattern test.

The current work reports the optimum design conditions of a direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition grown multi-walled carbon nanotube based micro-focus X-ray tube with dual focusing lens. Extensive simulations were performed in order to determine the configuration that would generate a desirable focal spot size. Several dimensions of the X-ray basic structure and the focusing lens were manipulated using a commercially available simulation package. A manipulation of the factors (i.e. geometric parameter, axial distances, and bias voltages variances) and their effects on the focal spot size were also analyzed. A remarkable reduction in the focal spot size was achieved at the anode target via simulation and high resolution images were obtained in a prototype X-ray generator through standard line pattern test.