Primary collimator and systems for x-ray diffraction imaging, and method for fabricating a primary collimator

A multiple inverse fan beam x-ray diffraction imaging (MIFB XDI) system, comprising:

• a multi-focus x-ray source (MFXS) comprising an anode and a plurality of focus points arranged along a length of the anode collinear with a y-axis of said MFXS, each focus point of the plurality of focus points sequentially activated to emit an x-ray fan beam including a plurality of primary beams;
• and
• a multi-angle primary collimator (MAPC) configured to select the plurality of primary beams each directed to a corresponding convergence point of a plurality of convergence points positioned along a line parallel to the y-axis at a coordinate X=L with one focus point of the plurality of focus points activated.

A method for fabricating a primary collimator for a multiple inverse fan beam x-ray diffraction imaging (MIFB XDI) system including a multi-focus x-ray source (MFXS) defining a plurality of focus points arranged along a length of the MFXS collinear with a y-axis of the MIFB XDI system, each focus point of the plurality of focus points sequentially activated to emit an x-ray fan beam including a plurality of primary beams each directed to a corresponding convergence point of a plurality of convergence points positioned along a line parallel to the y-axis at a coordinate X=L, said method comprising:

• positioning a first diaphragm with respect to the MFXS, the first diaphragm defining a plurality of first channels through a thickness of the first diaphragm, each first channel of the plurality of first channels aligned with a corresponding focus point of the plurality of focus points and configured to transmit the x-ray fan beam;
• and
• positioning a second diaphragm with respect to the first diaphragm, the second diaphragm defining a plurality of second channels through a thickness of the second diaphragm, each second channel of the plurality of second channels axially aligned with a corresponding first channel of the plurality of first channels.