Detector considerations relevant to x-ray diffraction imaging for security screening applications

Abstract

X-ray diffraction imaging (XDI) is a novel modality in which the local x-ray diffraction (XRD) properties of inhomogenous objects are measured. Following a brief description of some of the areas in which x-ray diffraction is currently impacting on the detection of materials of interest in the security environment, the principles of energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction tomography employed in XDI are described. The Multi-Inverse Fan Beam (MIFB) topology for 3rd Generation XDI, in which the XRD properties of a spatial array of 2-D volume elements are investigated in parallel without mechanical scanning, is described. 3rd Generation XDI is being driven among other things by rapid technological developments taking place in the field of spectroscopic, room-temperature, semiconductor x-ray detectors. Detector requirements for Next-Generation MIFB XDI are summarized and the potential of 3rd Generation XDI for rapid, accurate and affordable screening in the Checkpoint and Hold Baggage environments is summarized.