Coloured X-ray Imaging at the Quantum Level

X-ray interactions with matter are highly dependent upon the energy of the incident photons. Yet in X-ray imaging it is common to ignore this effect even though most images are made using poly-energetic X-ray sources. If the energy of each photon can be recorded then it becomes possible to recover the electron density of materials in complex structures and to isolate specific chemical signatures. This information would be extremely useful for improving detection of diseases in medical imaging, and for isolating dangerous materials in border security [1]. Energy-resolving, photon counting detectors do exist, but they are extremely expensive and suffer poor spatial and/or temporal resolution. On the positive side, they produce a virtually noise free image. This project will explore the possibility of using new high-speed X-ray cameras for detecting individual X-ray photons and determining their energy. When successful, this technology will be employed to enable noise free, material specific imaging in real-time with spatial resolution on the micron scale.

This project will involve experimental studies using our high powered liquid metal jet X-ray source and the Imaging and Medical Beamline at the Australian Synchrotron adjacent to Monash University. Energy resolved images will be employed to enable high contrast, low noise imaging with both phase and absorption contrast imaging in 2D and 3D.

An introduction to our research group including recent publications can be found here: https://xrayimagingmonash.wordpress.com/