Focal Spot

Technical X-RAY TUBE Information

Optical versus thermal focal spot size X-ray tubes with reection target are beneting from the so called "Goetze-principle". The optical length of the focal spot will be reduced with smaller target angles. In this way higher load can be positioned at the same focal spot. The thermal focal spot can be calculated with the following table:
Thermal length optical d= Target angle 6 12 20 24 50 m 480 240 145 125 1 mm 9,6 4,8 2,9 2,5 3 mm 28,80 14,4 8,7 7,5

30 100 2 6

The optical focal spot varies with different directions looking at the target. The table below shows the calculated optical focal spot size at different angles.
Optical length Target angle d=1 24 12 6 Take off angle (horizontal) 0 10 20 30 40 1,00 1,37 1,71 2,0 2,2 1,00 1,80 2,55 3,22 3,79 1,00 2,64 4,19 5,62 6,88

The measurement according to DIN EN 12543-2 gives a direct view on the focal spot by means of a pinhole camera. It is taken for focal spots larger than 100 m.
DIN EN 12543-2

The method according to DIN EN 12543-5 is taken for small focal spots below 100 m. The focal spot size is calculated from the unsharpness of e. g. a tungsten ball.

DIN EN 12543-5

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