Using of a microcapillary refractive X-ray lens for focusing and imaging

Abstract

The microcapillary lens, formed by air bubbles in a hollow core glass capillary filled with epoxy, is a novel design of a compound refractive lens for X-rays. The epoxy enclosed between two air bubbles has the form of a biconcave lens and acts as a positive lens for X-rays. Each individual lens is spherical with radius of curvature equal to the inner radius of the capillary. Up to 500 individual biconcave lenses can be formed in a single capillary with diameters from 50 to 500 μm. Due to the small radius of curvatures that can be achieved, microcapillary lenses typically have shorter focal lengths than those made by compression or injection molding. For example, microcapillary lenses with a focal length about 5 cm for 8 keV X-rays and 50-micron aperture are readily available.We have produced a set of lenses in a 200-micron inner-diameter glass capillary with 100-350 individual microlenses and measured their parameters at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory and at the Advanced Photon Source.Our investigations have also shown that the lenses are suitable for imaging applications with an X-ray tube as a source of X-rays. A simple X-ray microscope is discussed. The microscope consists of a copper anode X-ray tube, X-ray lens and CCD-camera. The object, lens and CCDcamera were placed in-line at distances to satisfy the lens formula. It is shown that the field of view of the microscope is about 1 mm and resolution is equal to 3-5 μm.

X-ray imaging with compound refractive lens and microfocus x-ray tube

“…The microscope consists of the microfocus X-ray tube, X-ray lens and CCD camera. In contrast to results, described previously in [12][13][14] , here we put X-ray tube far away from the lens. In this case the images of X-ray source and of the object may be found at a different distanced to the lens as it is shown in Fig.…”

“…Previously it also was shown that the lenses due to its short focal length are suitable for imaging experiments with conventional X-ray tube as a source of radiation [12][13][14] .…”

Design and Application of X-Ray Lens in the Form of Glass Capillary Filled by a Set of Concave Epoxy Microlenses

“…The imaging system (microscope) was designed in the Institute of Applied Physics Problems of Belarus State University (Dudchik et al, 2007b;Dudchik et al 2007c). The system photo is shown in Fig.…”

Nano-printed miniature compound refractive lens for desktop hard x-ray microscopy

“…The first CRLs were lines of cylindrical holes drilled into aluminum blocks [ 3 ], where the small refractions of individual holes were compounded to achieve a substantial focusing effect [ 3 ]. Since this initial demonstration, CRL technology has been further developed through different designs, including parabolic [ 4 ], spherical [ 5 ], and kinoform [ 6 ] CRLs. Low-attenuation materials such as Al [ 3 ], Be [ 7 ], Si [ 8 ], C [ 9 ] and polymers[ 10 ][ 5 ] together with different fabrication techniques [ 11 ], have been explored.…”