Laboratory-based x-ray micro-tomography with submicron resolution

Abstract

X-ray Microtomography bridges the 3D analysis gap between conventional x-ray tomography and TEM tomography. The use of a laboratory-based microfocus source opens up the opportunity to gain additional benefits from in-line phase contrast for enhancing the visibility of fine features, cracks, voids and boundaries in individual views. Coupled with phase retrieval methods, such images can be used as input to conventional reconstruction algorithms for three dimensional visualization. Working at high resolution brings challenges of physical stability of the system. Software approaches to overcoming these difficulties have enabled submicron resolution 3D reconstructions.