Confocal energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction tomography employing a conical shell beam.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Imaging Technology

Background:

• Volumetric materials characterization is crucial for understanding material properties and performance.
• Existing techniques may have limitations in resolution, speed, or material penetration.
• Advanced imaging methods are needed for detailed, non-destructive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel high-energy X-ray diffraction tomography (HEDXDT) technique.
• To enable volumetric materials characterization with depth-resolved imaging.
• To demonstrate the capability for mapping material phases within samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a conical shell X-ray beam raster scanned through samples.
• Employing a central aperture to direct diffracted X-rays to an energy-resolving detector.
• Performing snapshot measurements during the scan to reconstruct images.

Main Results:

• Successfully constructed depth-resolved dark-field section images.
• Calculated d-spacing values to map material phases volumetrically.
• Demonstrated the technique on multiple thick samples within a polymer tray.

Conclusions:

• The HEDXDT technique provides a powerful tool for volumetric materials characterization.
• The method is scalable in scan size and X-ray energy, indicating broad analytical utility.
• Potential applications span materials science, medical diagnostics, and process control.