Abstract: An x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one first motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes at least one second motion stage configured to move the x-ray source and the at least one detector relative to the object to switch between a laminography configuration and a tomography configuration.

Abstract: An x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one first motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes at least one second motion stage configured to move the x-ray source and the at least one detector relative to the object to switch between a laminography configuration and a tomography configuration.

Abstract: A three-dimensional x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one sample motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes a sample mount configured to hold the object and comprises a first portion in the propagation paths of at least some of the diverging x-rays and having an x-ray transmission greater than 30% for x-rays having energies greater than 50% of a maximum x-ray energy of an x-ray spectrum of the diverging x-rays.

Abstract: An x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one first motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes at least one second motion stage configured to move the x-ray source and the at least one detector relative to the object to switch between a laminography configuration and a tomography configuration.

Abstract: A three-dimensional x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one sample motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes a sample mount configured to hold the object and comprises a first portion in the propagation paths of at least some of the diverging x-rays and having an x-ray transmission greater than 30% for x-rays having energies greater than 50% of a maximum x-ray energy of an x-ray spectrum of the diverging x-rays.

Abstract: A three-dimensional x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one sample motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes a sample mount configured to hold the object and comprises a first portion in the propagation paths of at least some of the diverging x-rays and having an x-ray transmission greater than 30% for x-rays having energies greater than 50% of a maximum x-ray energy of an x-ray spectrum of the diverging x-rays.

Abstract: A three-dimensional x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one sample motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes a sample mount configured to hold the object and comprises a first portion in the propagation paths of at least some of the diverging x-rays and having an x-ray transmission greater than 30% for x-rays having energies greater than 50% of a maximum x-ray energy of an x-ray spectrum of the diverging x-rays.

Abstract: A three-dimensional x-ray imaging system includes at least one detector and an x-ray source including an x-ray transmissive vacuum window. The x-ray source is configured to produce diverging x-rays emerging from the vacuum window and propagating along an x-ray propagation axis extending through a region of interest of an object to the at least one detector. The diverging x-rays have propagation paths within an angular divergence angle greater than 1 degree centered on the x-ray propagation axis. The system further includes at least one sample motion stage configured to rotate the object about a rotation axis. The system further includes a sample mount configured to hold the object and comprises a first portion in the propagation paths of at least some of the diverging x-rays and having an x-ray transmission greater than 30% for x-rays having energies greater than 50% of a maximum x-ray energy of an x-ray spectrum of the diverging x-rays.

Abstract: A target for generating x-rays includes at least one substrate including a first material and a plurality of discrete structures including at least one second material configured to generate x-rays in response to electron bombardment. The discrete structures are distributed across a first surface of the at least one substrate in an array pattern function A that has a corresponding function B such that a combination operation of the array pattern function A with the corresponding function B generates a resultant function C comprising a first portion with a single peak and a substantially flat second portion surrounding the first portion.

Abstract: An x-ray source and an x-ray interferometry system utilizing the x-ray source are provided. The x-ray source includes a target that includes a substrate and a plurality of structures. The substrate includes a thermally conductive first material and a first surface. The plurality of structures is on or embedded in at least a portion of the first surface. The structures are separate from one another and are in thermal communication with the substrate. The structures include at least one second material different from the first material, the at least one second material configured to generate x-rays upon irradiation by electrons having energies in an energy range of 0.5 keV to 160 keV. The x-ray source further includes an electron source configured to generate the electrons and to direct the electrons to impinge the target and to irradiate at least some of the structures along a direction that is at a non-zero angle relative to a surface normal of the portion of the first surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing an ultra-high stability long-vertical travel stage are provided. The ultra-high stability long-vertical travel stage includes a first wedge supporting a second wedge, each wedge formed of a selected stable material having predefined rigidity and low thermal expansion coefficient, and integrated air bearings. A linear guiding mechanism includes a plurality of flexures. The first wedge is driven in a plane providing vertical motion on the second wedge with the integrated air bearings lifted and the flexures allowing for movement.

Abstract: This disclosure presents systems for x-ray microscopy using an array of micro-beams having a micro- or nano-scale beam intensity profile to provide selective illumination of micro- or nano-scale regions of an object. An array detector is positioned such that each pixel of the detector only detects x-rays corresponding to a single micro- or nano-beam. This allows the signal arising from each x-ray detector pixel to be identified with the specific, limited micro- or nano-scale region illuminated, allowing sampled transmission image of the object at a micro- or nano-scale to be generated while using a detector with pixels having a larger size and scale. Detectors with higher quantum efficiency may therefore be used, since the lateral resolution is provided solely by the dimensions of the micro- or nano-beams. The micro- or nano-scale beams may be generated using an arrayed x-ray source or a set of Talbot interference fringes.

Abstract: Systems for x-ray microscopy using an array of micro-beams having a micro- or nano-scale beam intensity profile to provide selective illumination of micro- or nano-scale regions of an object. An array detector is positioned such that each pixel of the detector only detects x-rays corresponding to a single micro-or nano-beam. This allows the signal arising from each x-ray detector pixel to be identified with the specific, limited micro- or nano-scale region illuminated, allowing sampled transmission image of the object at a micro- or nano-scale to be generated while using a detector with pixels having a larger size and scale. Detectors with higher quantum efficiency may therefore be used, since the lateral resolution is provided solely by the dimensions of the micro- or nano-beams. The micro- or nano-scale beams may be generated using a arrayed x-ray source and a set of Talbot interference fringes.

Abstract: Systems for x-ray microscopy using an array of micro-beams having a micro- or nano-scale beam intensity profile to provide selective illumination of micro- or nano-scale regions of an object. An array detector is positioned such that each pixel of the detector only detects x-rays corresponding to a single micro-or nano-beam. This allows the signal arising from each x-ray detector pixel to be identified with the specific, limited micro- or nano-scale region illuminated, allowing sampled transmission image of the object at a micro- or nano-scale to be generated while using a detector with pixels having a larger size and scale. Detectors with higher quantum efficiency may therefore be used, since the lateral resolution is provided solely by the dimensions of the micro- or nano-beams. The micro- or nano-scale beams may be generated using a arrayed x-ray source and a set of Talbot interference fringes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing an ultra-high stability long-vertical travel stage are provided. The ultra-high stability long-vertical travel stage includes a first wedge supporting a second wedge, each wedge formed of a selected stable material having predefined rigidity and low thermal expansion coefficient, and integrated air bearings. A linear guiding mechanism includes a plurality of flexures. The first wedge is driven in a plane providing vertical motion on the second wedge with the integrated air bearings lifted and the flexures allowing for movement.

Abstract: A unit for providing an interface between analog input signals and a digital data processing system bus includes a plurality of analog input channels, sample-and-hold circuits, and an analog-to-digital converter. An optical isolation circuit couples the output of the analog-to-digital converter to a dual-port RAM. The gain of each analog input channel is programmable, as is the address of each input channel in the RAM. Thus the channels can be read in any desired order, and different input voltage ranges can be programmed for each channel. The RAM can be read by an external data processing system via a digital system bus.