Elektronenquelle

Elektronenquelle, mit einer Anzahl Elektronenemissionskathoden (5) und mindestens einer Steuerelektrode (6), gekennzeichnet durch einen zur Regelung des durch die Steuerelektrode (6) fließenden Gatestroms ausgebildeten Gate-Stromregler (14), der Teil eines Regelkreises ist, welcher zudem ein Stellglied und eine Gatestrom-Messeinheit (11) zur Erfassung des Gatestrom umfasst. The electron source (9) has a set of electron emission cathodes (5) formed as field emitters or indirectly heated emitters for emitting electrons, and a gate current regulator (14) for controlling current flow over a control grid (6). A grid voltage supply (8) supplies voltage about 5kv between the electron emission cathodes and the control grid. The electron emission cathodes are separately controllable, so that geometric parameters of the electron source are variable and X-ray radiation is created without changing the arrangement of the electron source. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating an electron source.