Amar Gupta1,2,Taewon Kim2,Jinho Choi1,Mrinal Bhusal Sharma2,Seung Jun Yeo2,1,Jeung Sun Ahn1,Jehwang Ryu1,2
Kyung Hee University1,CAT Beam Tech Co., Ltd2
Amar Gupta1,2,Taewon Kim2,Jinho Choi1,Mrinal Bhusal Sharma2,Seung Jun Yeo2,1,Jeung Sun Ahn1,Jehwang Ryu1,2
Kyung Hee University1,CAT Beam Tech Co., Ltd2
One of the most common types of radiological device on earth is the X-ray machine. From the airport to the hospital, X-rays are used at least once on both the person and their belongings. Even though X-ray machines are used a lot, they are among the least efficient machines, with a ratio of less than 1%. In conventional hot cathode filament-based portable X-ray machines, 75% of the energy is used to accelerate electrons, and 20% is used to heat the filament (cathode) to generate electrons inside the vacuum tubes. Thus, there are two types of electrical power sources needed: a) a low-voltage, high-ampere source to heat the filament and make electrons, and b) a high-voltage, low-ampere source to speed up the electrons and make X-rays. However, we have made the first X-ray system that fits in a pocket and is smaller than our palm. It doesn't use a filament and has a high-voltage module that can be used for both making electrons and accelerate them up. This is possible because the X-ray system uses a Carbon Nanotube (CNT) cold cathode digital X-ray tube, it doesn't make any heat, doesn't have a complicated structure for filament feedthroughs, and can be powered by 2 AAA batteries. Our X-ray system is one of the smallest in the world. It weighs about 80 grams and is about 40 mm X 30 mm X 25 mm. An X-ray survey meter can detect a soft X-ray with a voltage of up to 7 kV. It gives off 50 mSv/hr of radiation dose at a distance of 10 cm from the X-ray source, proving that this smallest X-ray system can be used for cell irradiation experiments and possibly as an alternative to all the hazardous radioactive materials used for QC testing and calibration of X-ray survey meters. It can also take X-ray pictures of soft things like plant leaves when it is powered by a Lithium ion battery that is smaller than an AAA battery. We are certain that this new Nanotube innovation will assist researchers all around the globe in making the X-ray machine more compact, portable, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.