A laser driven pulsed X-ray backscatter technique for enhanced penetrative imaging
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
X-ray backscatter imaging can be used for a wide range of imaging applications, in particular for industrial inspection and portal security. Currently, the application of this imaging technique to the detection of landmines is limited due to the surrounding sand or soil strongly attenuating the 10s to 100s of keV X-rays required for backscatter imaging. Here, we introduce a new approach involving a 140 MeV short-pulse (< 100 fs) electron beam generated by laser wakefield acceleration to probe the sample, which produces Bremsstrahlung X-rays within the sample enabling greater depths to be imaged. A variety of detector and scintillator configurations are examined, with the best time response seen from an absorptive coated BaF2 scintillator with a bandpass filter to remove the slow scintillation emission components. An X-ray backscatter image of an array of different density and atomic number items is demonstrated. The use of a compact laser wakefield accelerator to generate the electron source, combined with the rapid development of more compact, efficient and higher repetition rate high power laser systems will make this system feasible for applications in the field.
Date Issued
2015-12-01
Date Acceptance
2015-08-21
Citation
Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, 2015, 23 (6), pp.791-797
ISSN
1095-9114
Publisher
IOS Press
Start Page
791
End Page
797
Journal / Book Title
Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology
Volume
23
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
This article is published online with Open Access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial
License.
License.
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Instruments & Instrumentation
Optics
Physics, Applied
Physics
X-ray backscatter
X-ray radar
X-ray imaging systems
X-ray
detection
SYSTEM
Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
01 Mathematical Sciences
02 Physical Sciences
Publication Status
Published