Spectrally responsive edge-illumination (SREI) x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI)

X-ray Phase Contrast Imaging (XPCI) is an imaging method that can provide quantitative information about the change in phase of X-ray wavefronts as they pass through an object. XPCI can image objects that cannot be easily seen in conventional absorption imaging, such as thin, weakly-Absorbing objects. Most exploration into XPCI has involved synchrotron sources, which are large, fixed facilities and not widely available. Several tabletop methods exist, but these generally rely on interferometric methods or complicated gratings. We began investigating Edge-Illumination (EI), a non-interferometric, inexpensive XPCI method that can use a standard x-ray tube. However, EI requires at least two different spatial shifts, with small aperture openings and precise beam alignment, thereby increasing the complexity of the method. Due to the limitations of EI and the rise in availability of spectrally sensitive detectors, we propose a variant of EI, called Spectrally Responsive Edge Illumination (SREI), which relies on a diversity of X-ray energies instead of spatial shifts. Our goal is to develop an XPCI method that is simple, robust, and easily implementable with commercially available equipment. I will report on our progress.

Duke Scholars

Author Michael E. Gehm Electrical and Computer Engineering