Approach and device for focusing x-rays
AssigneeMats Danielsson
InventorStaffan Karlsson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A new device for x-ray optics is proposed which is an analogous to zone plates but works for higher x-ray energies. This is achieved by using both refraction and diffraction of the x-rays and building the new device(s) in a three dimensional structure, contrary to the zone plates which are basically a two dimensional device. The three dimensional structure is built from a multitude of prisms, utilizing both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays to shape the overall x-ray flux. True two dimensional focusing is achieved in the x-ray energy range usually employed in medical imaging and may be used in a wide area of applications in this field and in other fields of x-ray imaging. The device can be readily produced in large volumes.
Claims25
An x-ray optics device arrangement, wherein said x-ray optics device arrangement is arranged for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, and comprising a plurality of individual three-dimensional prism structures, each having a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays to shape the x-ray flux, said multitude of prisms being arranged in at least one layer around an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, to enable a two-dimensional focusing effect,
- wherein a number of independent discs, each disc having at least one layer of at least part of a prism, are provided in parallel on a common substrate and a number of such substrates are stacked in alignment to form said plurality of three-dimensional prism structures, such that each three-dimensional prism structure is formed as a rotationally symmetric or near symmetric assembly of a plurality of discs stacked along the optical axis.
An x-ray optics device, wherein said x-ray optics device is adapted for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, and comprising a three dimensional structure of a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays to shape the x-ray flux, wherein said multitude of prisms is arranged in at least one layer around an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, to enable a focusing effect, wherein the x-ray optics device is based on an assembly of a plurality of discs, each disc having at least one layer of at least part of a prism, said discs being stacked along the optical axis to form said three-dimensional prism structure, wherein the discs along the optical axis are grouped, and the number of prisms in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis in a first group of discs generally differs from the number of prisms in a second group of discs.
An x-ray optics device, wherein said x-ray optics device is adapted for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, and comprising a three dimensional structure of a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays to shape the x-ray flux, wherein the x-ray optics device is based on a foil having prisms arranged over the foil surface and rolled into said three-dimensional prism structure.
An x-ray imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source;
- x-ray optics arranged for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, said x-ray optics comprising a plurality of individual three dimensional structures, each having a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays in order to focus radiation from said x-ray source, said multitude of prisms being arranged in at least one layer around an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, to enable a two-dimensional focusing effect,
- wherein a number of independent discs, each disc having at least one layer of at least part of a prism, are provided in parallel on a common substrate and a number of such substrates are stacked in alignment to form said plurality of three-dimensional prism structures, such that each three-dimensional prism structure is formed as a rotationally symmetric or near symmetric assembly of a plurality of discs stacked along the optical axis;
- and
- a detector for registering radiation from said x-ray source that has been focused by said x-ray optics and has passed an object to be imaged, said x-ray detector being connectable to image processing circuitry.
An x-ray imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source;
- x-ray optics arranged for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, said x-ray optics comprising a three dimensional structure of a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays in order to focus radiation from said x-ray source, wherein said multitude of prisms is arranged in at least one layer around an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, to enable a focusing effect,
- wherein the x-ray optics device is based on an assembly of a plurality of discs, each disc having at least one layer of at least part of a prism, said discs being stacked along the optical axis to form said three-dimensional prism structure, wherein the discs along the optical axis are grouped, and the number of prisms in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis in a first group of discs generally differs from the number of prisms in a second group of discs;
- and
- a detector for registering radiation from said x-ray source that has been focused by said x-ray optics and has passed an object to be imaged, said x-ray detector being connectable to image processing circuitry.
An x-ray imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source;
- x-ray optics arranged for x-rays of energies exceeding 10 keV, said x-ray optics comprising a three dimensional structure of a multitude of prisms for both refraction and diffraction of incoming x-rays in order to focus radiation from said x-ray source, wherein the x- ray optics device is based on a foil having prisms arranged over the foil surface and rolled into said three-dimensional prism structure;
- and
- a detector for registering radiation from said x-ray source that has been focused by said x-ray optics and has passed an object to be imaged, said x-ray detector being connectable to image processing circuitry.
A method of manufacturing an x-ray optics device arrangement, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a number of independent discs, each disc having at least one layer of at least part of a prism, in parallel on a common substrate;
- stacking a number of such substrates in alignment to form a plurality of three-dimensional prism structures such that each three-dimensional prism structure is formed as a rotationally symmetric or near symmetric assembly of a plurality of discs stacked along an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, each three-dimensional prism structure having a multitude of prisms being arranged in at least one layer around the optical axis for incoming x-rays for both refraction and diffraction of x-rays to shape the x-ray flux.
A method of manufacturing an x-ray optics device, said method comprising the steps of:
- preparing a foil including a multitude of prisms;
- arranging said multitude of prisms in at least one layer around an axis of symmetry, corresponding to an optical axis for incoming x-rays, by rolling said foil into a three-dimensional prism structure for both refraction and diffraction of x-rays to shape the x-ray flux.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.