SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is directed toward the development of a table-top x-ray microscope capable of 1 micron resolution at an x-ray energy of 30 keV. This resolution is approximately a factor of ten better than presently available devices using microfocus x-ray sources with magnification radiography. The proposed system is based on a novel x-ray detector capable of better resolution and higher Detector Quantum Efficiency than previously tried scintillators, such as particulate screens, dendritic Cesium Iodide, and fiber-optic-scintillator plates. If successful, the new device will be useful as a general purpose tool for nondestructive testing of materials, as well as biological and medical research

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is directed at improving the capabilities of high resolution x-ray imaging systems. The enabling technology in this approach is a novel x-ray detector formed from transparent scintillation crystals. A prototype developed in Phase I demonstrates a spatial resolution of six microns. This surpasses the resolution of commercial systems based on microfocus x-ray sources, and is 4-6 times better than current x-ray detectors. Based on these results it is anticipated that a resolution of 1-2 microns can be achieved in Phase II. If fully successful, the end result of Phase II will be a commercialized x-ray microscope with five to ten times the resolution of existing products. High-resolution x-ray imaging is used in many fields, including manufacturing, medicine, and scientific research. The product developed in Phase II will have better technical performance and be lower in cost that presently available systems.