SBIR-STTR Award

Currently available X-ray imaging detector products are limited in resolution, quantum efficiency, and dynamic range, particularly for X-ray energies above 30KeV. The current performance limitations inhibit progress in understanding complex nanoscale structures in materials through diffraction and tomographic imaging techniques. A new, high resolution, direct X-ray detection image sensor will be evaluated to demonstrate efficacy in addressing the inadequacy of current X-ray image sensor technology at high energy X-ray energies. An area detector, comprised of an amorphous Selenium on CMOS readout array, with micron scale pixel pitch, plus electronics , mechanical enclosure, and software will be evaluated in coherent diffraction and micro-CT imaging test systems. Two complete X-ray imaging cameras will be built and transported to the Argonne National Laboratory and testing will be conducted with the support of the Detector Group of the APS beam line 1-BM. Fundamental parameters such as quantum efficiency, MTF, noise, dynamic range, and image lag will be quantified and performance of the a-Se CMOS detector will be compared with that of existing detectors in the same test apparatus. An important commercial benefit of the micron scale hybrid X-ray detector technology is: When scaled to larger areas and integrated into benchtop micro-CT systems, high resolution 3D X-ray imaging analysis of biological, industrial, and experimental materials will be enabled. Micron scale pixel spacing enables geometric phase information to be captured enabling phase contrast enhancement using non-coherent X-ray sources. Extremely high resolution of 3-D scanned objects is possible at low X-ray flux, with reduced throughput times due to increased quantum efficiency and low noise.