Compact systems and methods for generating a diffraction profile

• US 20080043912A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morpho Detection (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: GE Homeland Protection Incorporated (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Harding, Geoffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/71
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/20 by using diffraction of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating crystal structure; by using scattering of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating non-crystalline materials; by using reflection of the radiation by the materials

Abstract

An imaging system for generating a diffraction profile is described. The imaging system includes a gantry including an x-ray imaging system configured to generate an x-ray image of a substance and a scatter system configured to generate a diffraction profile of the substance.

Claims

1. An imaging system for generating a diffraction profile, said imaging system comprising a gantry including an x-ray imaging system configured to generate an x-ray image of a substance and a scatter system configured to generate a diffraction profile of the substance.

2. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises an x-ray source that is activated for an amount of time based on a distance between said x-ray source and a centroid of a substance.

3. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises an x-ray source and said scatter imaging system comprises a scatter detector element, wherein said x-ray source is activated for an amount of time based on a distance between a centroid of a substance and said scatter detector element.

4. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises a transmission detector and said scatter system comprises a coherent scatter detector, and said transmission detector is located adjacent to a plane that is separate from a plane adjacent to said coherent scatter detector.

5. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises an x-ray source, said x-ray imaging system further comprises a primary collimator configured to collimate an x-ray beam generated by said x-ray source, and said primary collimator configured to be stationary.

6. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gantry further comprises a guide rail, said scatter system comprises a scatter detector, wherein said scatter detector configured to move along said guide rail.

7. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources.

8. An imaging system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises a transmission detector and said scatter system comprises a scatter detector, wherein each of said x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources configured to generate an x-ray beam that is incident on a container to generate a primary beam and a scattered beam, wherein the primary beam is detected by said transmission detector and the scattered beam is detected by said scatter detector.

9. An imaging apparatus for generating a diffraction profile of a substance, said imaging apparatus comprising a scatter detector and an x-ray imaging system including an x-ray source, wherein said x-ray source is activated when a portion of said scatter detector is located at a line-of-sight passing through a centroid of the substance.

10. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said x-ray source is activated for an amount of time based on a distance between said x-ray source and the centroid of the substance.

11. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said scatter detector includes a scatter detector element, wherein said x-ray source is activated for an amount of time based on a distance between the centroid of the substance and said scatter detector element.

12. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises a transmission detector and said scatter detector includes a coherent scatter detector, and said transmission detector is located adjacent to a plane that is separate from a plane adjacent to said coherent scatter detector.

13. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said x-ray imaging system further comprises a primary collimator configured to collimate an x-ray beam generated by said x-ray source, and said primary collimator configured to be stationary.

14. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said imaging apparatus comprises a scatter system including said scatter detector, and each of said x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources.

15. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said x-ray imaging system comprises a transmission detector and said x-ray imaging apparatus includes a scatter system including said scatter detector, wherein each of said x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources configured to generate an x-ray beam that is incident on a container to output a primary beam and a scattered beam, wherein the primary beam is detected by said transmission detector and the scattered beam is detected by said scatter detector.

16. An imaging system for generating a diffraction profile, said imaging system comprising:

a gantry including a stationary x-ray imaging system configured to generate an x-ray image of a substance and a scatter system configured to generate a diffraction profile of the substance; and

a processor coupled to said x-ray imaging system.

17. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16, wherein each of said stationary x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources.

18. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said stationary x-ray imaging system comprises a transmission detector and said scatter system comprises a scatter detector, wherein each of said stationary x-ray imaging system and said scatter system comprises a set of x-ray sources configured to generate an x-ray beam that is incident on a container to generate a primary beam and a scattered beam, wherein the primary beam is detected by said transmission detector and the scattered beam is detected by said scatter detector.

19. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said stationary x-ray imaging system comprises a stationary transmission detector and said scatter system comprises a coherent scatter detector, and said stationary transmission detector is located adjacent to a plane that is separate from a plane adjacent to said coherent scatter detector.

20. An imaging system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said stationary x-ray imaging system comprises a stationary x-ray source, said stationary x-ray imaging system further comprises a primary collimator configured to collimate an x-ray beam generated by said stationary x-ray source, and said primary collimator configured to be stationary.