Experimental research on phase contrast imaging using a desktop X-ray tube

Abstract

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) shows more detail and capable to produce high contrast images compared to conventional absorb contrast imaging. Not as free-space-propagation-based XPCI which needs a highly coherent and monochromatic light source such as synchrotron radiation source, several different XPCI methods are practical using desktop X-ray tube, such as micro-focus PCI, grating-based differential PCI and coded aperture-based edge illumination PCI, etc. In this paper, an experimental research on micro-focus XPCI is done with a conventional X-ray source. With a micro collimating aperture, a large focal spot X-ray tube is modified to be a micro focus light source. A fly and feather are used as imaging samples. Sample images are acquired with different energy X-ray such as 20KeV, 40KeV and 60KeV etc. Phase contrast images are compared with absorption contrast images using the same x-ray source setting. Results showed the sharpness caused by phase contrast, and more detail information of the edges inside the imaging samples. The resolution of micro-focus XPCI image reaches to about 10 micrometers which is not easy to achieve in traditional absorption method.