Phase-contrast X-ray imaging with synchrotron radiation for materials science applications

Abstract

Since Röntgen's discovery of X-rays just over a century ago the vast majority of radiographs have been collected and interpreted on the basis of absorption contrast and geometrical (ray) optics. Recently the possibility of obtaining new and complementary information in X-ray images by utilizing phase-contrast effects has received considerable attention, both in the laboratory context and at synchrotron sources (where much of this activity is a consequence of the highly coherent X-ray beams which can be produced). Phase-contrast X-ray imaging is capable of providing improved information from weakly absorbing features in a sample, together with improved edge definition. Four different experime..