Controlled betatron x-ray radiation from tunable optically injected electrons

The features of Betatron x-ray emission produced in a laser-plasma accelerator are closely linked to the properties of the relativistic electrons which are at the origin of the radiation. While in interaction regimes explored previously the source was by nature unstable, following the fluctuations of the electron beam, we demonstrate in this Letter the possibility to generate x-ray Betatron radiation with controlled and reproducible features, allowing fine studies of its properties. To do so, Betatron radiation is produced using monoenergetic electrons with tunable energies from a laser-plasma accelerator with colliding pulse injection [J. Faure et al., Nature (London) 444, 737 (2006)]. The presented study provides evidence of the correlations between electrons and x-rays, and the obtained results open significant perspectives toward the production of a stable and controlled femtosecond Betatron x-ray source in the keV range.     

Quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry in an achromatic and continuously self-imaging regime for future x-ray phase imaging

We present in this Letter a type of quadriwave lateral shearing interferometer for x-ray phase imaging. This device is based on a phase chessboard, and we take advantage of the large spectrum of the source to produce interferograms with a propagation-invariant contrast. Such a grating has been created for hard x-ray interferometry and experimentally tested on a synchrotron beamline at Soleil.     

In-line phase contrast for weakly absorbing materials with a microfocus x-ray source

For weakly absorbing materials, image contrast can be enhanced by phase contrast in formation. The effectiveness of the in-line phase contrast technique relies on its ability to record intensity data which contain information on the x-ray's phase shift. Four kinds of approaches to the relationship between intensity distribution and phase shift are reviewed and discussed. A micro-focal x-ray source with high geometrical magnification is used to acquire phase contrast images. A great improvement on image quality is shown and geometrical parameters are modified for comparison between different imaging positions.     

X-ray spatial harmonic imaging of phase objects

Refractive index gradients in materials or at material interfaces lead to x-ray diffraction. Interference of this radiation with adjacent x-ray waves causes phase contrast that can be used for imaging purposes if an x-ray source with sufficient spatial coherence is used. The imaging modality presented here uses hard x radiation diffracted at interfaces, but requires only little spatial coherence. We report experiments showing, first, that image contrast is not diminished by motional blurring, and second, that contrast can be increased by orders of magnitude relative to in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging. These properties substantially broaden the applicability of phase-sensitive imaging to moving samples and very weak density gradients.     

Influence of tube voltage and current on in-line phase contrast imaging using a microfocus x-ray source

In-line x-ray phase contrast imaging has attracted much attention due to two major advantages: its effectiveness in imaging weakly absorbing materials, and the simplicity of its facilities. In this paper a comprehensive theory based on Wigner distribution developed by Wu and Liu [Med. Phys. 31 2378-2384 (2004)] is reviewed. The influence of x-ray source and detector on the image is discussed. Experiments using a microfocus x-ray source and a CCD detector are conducted, which show the role of two key factors on imaging: the tube voltage and tube current. High tube current and moderate tube voltage are suggested for imaging.     

多点光源相衬成像法应用于内爆背光照相实验

针对常规内爆背光照相中存在的光源均匀性差、 靶丸图像烧蚀层与气体层界面不清晰、 瞄准精度差等关键问题设计了新型的背光照相靶. 在神光II大型激光装置上采用阵列点光源结合相衬成像的方式获取了清晰的靶丸烧蚀层与气体层界面信息, 同时具备光源均匀性好, 成像视场大的优点; 采用诊断狭缝限光的方式大大提高了瞄准精度使得整体图像质量优于常规靶设计. 实验结果表明, 激光驱动等离子体产生的点光源结合相衬成像方法在精密物理诊断中具有重要的作用, 可以广泛应用于惯性约束聚变以及高能量密度物理研究. 关键词： 惯性约束聚变 背光照相 针孔点背光 相衬成像     

X射线皮秒变象管扫描相机时空分辨率测量

X射线皮秒变象管扫描相机是一种应用变象管技术测量X射线波段脉冲辐射而能达到皮秒级时间分辨率和微米级空间分辨率的时空测试系统,是高功率激光打靶产生等离子体诊断的有力工具。时间分辨率和空间分辨率是X射线皮秒变象管扫描相机最基本的性能参数。这些参数的测量有其不同于可见光扫描相机的特殊性。     

X-ray phase-sensitive microscope imaging with a grating interferometer: Theory and simulation

A general theoretical framework is presented to explain the formation of the phase signal in an x-ray microscope integrated with a grating interferometer, which simultaneously enables the high spatial resolution imaging and the improved image contrast. By using this theory, several key parameters of phase contrast imaging can be predicted, for instance, the fringe visibility and period, and the conversion condition from the differential phase imaging (DPI) to the phase difference imaging (PDI). Additionally, numerical simulations are performed with certain x-ray optical components and imaging geometry. Comparison with the available experimental measurement [Appl. Phys. Lett. 113 063105 (2018)] demonstrates the accuracy of this developed quantitative analysis method of x-ray phase-sensitive microscope imaging.     

Compact Zernike phase contrast x-ray microscopy using a single-element optic

We demonstrate Zernike phase contrast in a compact soft x-ray microscope using a single-element optic. The optic is a combined imaging zone plate and a Zernike phase plate and does not require any additional alignment or components. Contrast is increased and inversed in an image of a test object using the Zernike zone plate. This type of optic may be implemented into any existing x-ray microscope where phase contrast is of interest.     

Single-shot grating-based x-ray differential phase contrast imaging with a modified analyzer grating

X-ray grating interferometer has attracted widely attention in the past years due to its capability in achieving x-ray phase contrast imaging with low brilliance source. However, the widely used phase stepping information extraction method reduces system stability and prolongs data acquisition time by several times compared with conventional x-ray absorptionbased imaging. The mechanical stepping can be avoided by using a staggered grating, but at the cost of low vertical spatial resolution. In this paper, employing a modified staggered grating and the angular signal radiography, we proposed a single-shot grating-based x-ray differential phase contrast imaging with decent vertical spatial resolution. The theoretical framework was deduced and proved by numerical experiments. Absorption, phase, and scattering computed tomography can be performed without phase stepping. Therefore, we believe this fast and highly stable imaging method with decent resolution would be widely applied in x-ray grating-based phase contrast imaging.     

X-ray phase-attenuation duality and phase retrieval

Phase retrieval is the key to quantitative x-ray phase-contrast imaging. To retrieve the phase image of an x-ray wave field, in general one needs multiple phase-contrast images. We have made a new observation of phase-attenuation duality for soft tissues, and we show how only a single phase-contrast image is needed for successful phase retrieval based on this duality. The phase-retrieval formula based on a single phase-contrast image of inhomogeneous soft tissue is derived and presented. We show the striking enhancement of the tissue contrast in simulated phase images that this new approach produces.     

Plasma focus based flash hard X-ray source in the 100 keV region with reproducible spectrum

A pulsed hard X-ray source with shot to shot reproducible spectrum, based on a 4.7 kJ small-chamber Mather-type plasma focus device, is presented. The hard X-ray output spectrum was measured in a single shot basis by differential absorption on metallic plates. The measured spectra have a single dominant peak around 75 keV and a spectral bandwidth covering the 40-150 keV range. A hard X-ray dose of (53±3) μGy per shot was measured on axis at 53 cm from the source, and found to be uniform within a half aperture angle of 6°.     

硬X射线相位光栅的设计与研制

针对在普通实验室和医院实现40—100keVX射线相衬成像的需求,考虑到成像系统参数、X射线源空间相干特性及光栅衍射效率,设计出硅基相位光栅结构参数.利用我们已发展的光助电化学刻蚀技术研制出直径为5英寸的相位光栅,其空间周期为5.6μm,线宽为2.8μm,深度为40—70μm.在理论分析的基础上,通过提高硅片两端有效工作电压和修正Lehmann电流密度公式,解决了实际刻蚀过程中出现的钻蚀问题.由实验结果可知,本方案对制作大面积高精度相位光栅十分有效。     

非稳散粒噪音相位依赖特性的实验研究

为了抑制相位调制引起的散粒噪音,实验研究了通过调制二极管激光器输出光强度,使用相位解调技术得到的不同解调相位下非稳散粒噪音的功率谱.在最小散粒噪音处,得到了相比于无调制情况下的散粒噪音减小3 dB的灵敏测量结果.实验结果表明,选择合适的调制相位可以在一定程度上抑制散粒噪音.研究结果与理论分析一致.     

Noise analysis of grating-based x-ray differential phase-contrast imaging with angular signal radiography

X-ray phase-contrast imaging is one of the novel techniques,and has potential to enhance image quality and provide the details of inner structures nondestructively.In this work,we investigate quantitatively signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging(GBPCI) system by employing angular signal radiography(ASR).Moreover,photon statistics and mechanical error that is a major source of noise are investigated in detail.Results show the dependence of SNR on the system parameters and the effects on the extracted absorption,refraction and scattering images.Our conclusions can be used to optimize the system design for upcoming practical applications in the areas such as material science and biomedical imaging.     

近场X射线位相衬度成像及位相恢复算法

理论分析了X射线衍射位相成像和近场位相恢复算法。定义了一个最佳成像距离，给出了基于最佳成像距离和特征空间频率的衍射场光强分布新的表达形式。基于模拟位相物体给出了数值模拟结果。由此得出了探测距离和多色辐照对相衬图像和位相恢复结果的影响。本文给出的结果将对同轴x射线相衬成像实验具有一定的指导作用。     

微聚焦管硬x射线位相衬度成像

利用微聚焦管硬x射线光源进行同轴位相衬度成像实验，所用的光源聚焦尺寸最小可达0.5μm.根据微聚焦硬x射线管的光学传递函数，对光源尺寸、相干长度等因素对成像分辨率的影响进行了分析.对新鲜的未经任何处理的生物样品进行了位相衬度成像，分辨率在10μm左右，并和吸收衬度成像进行了对比.实验结果表明利用微聚焦管作为硬x射线光源，多色硬x射线位相衬度成像可以得到比吸收衬度成像高得多的分辨率. 关键词： 位相衬度成像 微聚焦管x射线源 吸收衬度成像 光学传递函数     

基于正交调制的偏振光谱成像系统研究

为了同时获取目标的全偏振二维图像信息和其光谱信息,设计了一种基于正交调制的偏振光谱成像系统。该系统由光学接收模块、相位调制器、Wollaston棱镜、Savart偏光镜、检偏器以及成像模块组成。其可以将原始光信号分解成两束相互正交的偏振光,并且分别成像在CCD焦平面的上下两部分上,从而构成两幅偏振图像。两组图像的叠加可以将干涉条纹的数据相互抵消,从而获得目标的纯图像信息,两组图像的相减可以将目标灰度图像相互抵消,从而获得目标的纯干涉条纹。通过理论分析与计算得到了光强分布函数和光谱变化形式。实验在稳定的光源环境中采用高对比度目标与背景板,完成了全偏振图像的实时采集。经相位校正和切趾处理改善了干涉图像的畸变,又通过去低频滤波和阈值滤波抑制了图像中背景噪声的影响,从而实现了对目标图像的提取及偏振光谱的复原。该系统具有稳定性高、光谱分辨率可调、信噪比高、可识别能力强等特点,对在复杂背景中提取目标图像、光谱及偏振态信息具有重要意义。     

Noise properties of multi-combination information in x-ray grating-based phase-contrast imaging

Grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging has attracted increasing interest in recent decades as multimodal and laboratory source usable method. Specific efforts have been focused on establishing a new extraction method to perform practical applications. In this work, noise properties of multi-combination information of newly established information extraction method, so-called angular signal radiography method, are investigated to provide guidelines for targeted and specific applications. The results show that how multi-combination of images can be used in targeted practical applications to obtain a high-quality image in terms of signal-to-noise ratio. Our conclusions can also hold true for upcoming targeted practical applications such as biomedical imaging, non-destructive imaging, and materials science.