MHz frame rate hard X-ray phase-contrast imaging using synchrotron radiation

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Third-generation synchrotron light sources provide high flux, coherence, and short pulses (~10^-10 s).
• These properties enable hard X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) with single-bunch temporal resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate XPCI capable of millions of frames per second using MHz synchrotron X-ray pulse repetition rates.
• To visualize aperiodic or stochastic transient processes at ultra-high speeds.

Main Methods:

• Utilized MHz repetition rates of synchrotron X-ray pulses.
• Employed indirect X-ray detection techniques.
• Implemented multiple-frame recording for high-speed data acquisition.

Main Results:

• Achieved XPCI with millions of frames per second recording capabilities.
• Successfully visualized ultra-fast phenomena, including crack tip propagation in glass (km/s).
• Observed shock wave propagation in water and electric arc ignition explosions (µm/ns).

Conclusions:

• This advanced XPCI technique overcomes limitations of single-shot and stroboscopic methods.
• Enables the study of transient dynamic processes previously inaccessible.
• Opens new avenues for research in materials science, physics, and engineering.