Event-based x-ray imager with ghosting-free scintillator film

Abstract

Dynamic x-ray imagers have undergone extensive study due to their wide-ranging applications. However, as frame rates and resolutions increase, the accompanying growth in data volume imposes constraints on system capabilities, including data transmission, temporal bandwidth, processing capability, and power consumption. Herein we present a demonstration of an event-based x-ray imager that integrates Cs5Cu3Cl6I2 scintillator film, free from ghosting, with an event-based vision sensor. Each pixel operates autonomously, producing a signal only upon detecting a change in contrast intensity. The Cs5Cu3Cl6I2 scintillator film exhibits minimal ghosting artifacts (0.1%), which is a significant improvement compared to a conventional CsI:Tl scintillator (4.1%). The assembled imaging system finds practical applications in radiography and edge sharpening, achieving an impressive data compression ratio of 23.7%. Remarkably, this ratio is equivalent to the performance of intricate and energy-intensive software-based computing processes.