An x-ray transmissive housing window for reducing non-uniform attenuation
of x-rays in a rotationally driven x-ray device is disclosed. The x-ray
tube is disposed within an interior portion of an outer housing that is
filled with cooling fluid. An x-ray beam produced by the tube passes
through the housing window, which is disposed in a port defined in the
outer housing. The housing window includes a convexly shaped inner
surface adjacent the cooling fluid. The shape of the window's inner
surface cooperates with centripetal and other dynamic forces within the
x-ray device to act on bubbles that form in the cooling fluid and attach
to the window's inner surface. These forces create a moving force that
acts on the bubbles at the housing window inner surface. The convex
curvature of the inner surface enables the dynamic forces to displace the
bubbles from the x-ray beam transmission region of the housing window.