Laboratory diffraction-based phase contrast imaging technique

A phase contrast X-ray imaging system, comprising:

• an X-ray source, the X-ray source comprising:
• an emitter configured to emit an electron beam
• one or more focusing elements configured to focus the electron beam into a rectangular cross-sectional shape;
• a target configured to receive the focused electron beam and emit an X-ray beam as a result of receiving the focused electron beam, wherein an impact area of the focused electron beam is a line having an aspect ratio of at least 50:1;
• and
• a monochromator crystal configured to receive the X-ray beam from the target and diffract only a portion of the X-rays, and wherein the monochromator crystal is oriented relative to the target such that the X-rays diffracted by the monochromator crystal illuminate an entire region of interest of a sample;
• an X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays transmitted through the region of interest and generate a signal based on the detected X-rays;
• and
• data acquisition circuitry configured to convert the signal generated by the detector into one or more phase contrast images of the region of interest.

A method of X-ray imaging, comprising:

• emitting an electron beam having a cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis;
• contacting a target with the electron beam;
• generating an X-ray beam as a result of contact of the electron beam on the target, wherein the electron beam impacts the target in an area having an aspect ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of at least 50:1;
• contacting a monochromator crystal with the X-ray beam with the monochromator crystal configured to diffract only the X-rays of the X-ray beam that satisfy the Bragg condition for the monochromator crystal, wherein the monochromator crystal is oriented relative to the target such that the X-rays that satisfy the Bragg condition illuminate an entire dimension of the monochromator crystal;
• and
• detecting the diffracted X-rays that are transmitted through an object of interest.