X-RAY EMITTER

An X-ray emitter is suitable for evenly sterilizing large volumes of material in a short time, the emitter having an elongated X-ray target window and correspondingly elongated electron source mounted in a vacuum chamber. The electrons from the electron source are accelerated towards the X-ray target window, which generates X-rays directed outward from the vacuum chamber when irradiated by electrons from within the vacuum chamber. The elongated form of the electron source ensures that an evenly distributed beam of electrons, with a substantially constant linear distribution over the length of the electron source, arrives at the elongated X-ray target window such that a correspondingly even distribution of X-rays is generated from the X-ray target window. The X-ray target window includes a support substrate, and carries an X-ray target layer made of a target material such as tantalum or tungsten on its inner surface. A process for manufacturing the X-ray emitter is also described.