System and method for high-resolution high contrast x-ray ghost diffraction

A method of for high-resolution high-contrast x-ray ghost diffraction, the method comprising:

• A) activating an incoherent tabletop x-ray source to provide an input beam;
• B) positioning a diffuser after the x-ray source;
• C) rotating the diffuser, thereby inducing intensity fluctuations in the input beam;
• D) positioning a beam splitter after the diffuser;
• E) causing the input beam to pass through the beam splitter, thereby splitting the input beam into a test arm and a reference arm;
• F) positioning an object in the test arm as close as possible to the beam splitter;
• G) positioning a single-pixel detector in the test arm after the object;
• H) positioning one of:
• (a) a multi-pixel detector and
• (b) a single-pixel detector and an aperture or a scanning slit configured to simulate a one or two dimensional multi-pixel detector in the reference arm, wherein the detectors in the test arm and the reference arm are equidistant from the sample;
• I) sending output intensity measurements of the detectors in the test arm and the reference arm to a processor;
• J) recording in the processor the output intensity measurements at different rotational positions of the rotating diffuser;
• K) correlating in the processor the output intensity measurements;
• and
• L) using the correlated output measurements to reconstruct a diffraction pattern of the object.

A system for high-resolution high-contrast x-ray ghost diffraction, the system comprising:

• A) an incoherent tabletop x-ray source configured to provide an input beam;
• B) a diffuser configured to induce intensity fluctuations in the input beam;
• C) a beam splitter configured to split the input beam into:
• i) a test arm comprising an object and a single-pixel detector;
• and
• ii) a reference arm comprising one of:
• (a) a multi-pixel detector and
• (b) a single-pixel detector and an aperture or a scanning slit configured to simulate a one or two dimensional multi-pixel detector;
• and
• D) a processor configured to receive output intensity measurements of the detectors in the test arm and the reference arm, to record the output intensity measurements at different rotational positions of the rotating diffuser, to correlate the output intensity measurements, and to use the correlated output measurements to reconstruct a diffraction pattern of the object;
• wherein the object is placed proximate to the beam splitter and distal to the single-pixel detector along the test arm and the detectors in the test arm and the reference arm are equidistant from the beam splitter.