Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 13a

Description

Fundamental research is ongoing to support missions in energy, environment, and national security and, particularly, to provide foundations for new energy technologies and materials and chemical characterization through X-rays. Diffraction-limited synchrotron light sources will increase the coherent X-ray flux (up to a few orders of magnitude) and brilliance. Many beamlines can dynamically change the beam parameters—flux, shape, and energy—to meet user needs, often through the use of dynamic focusing elements, such as toroidal mirrors. In such cases, the existing beam optimization procedures are often time consuming and complex, requiring several iterations before the desired beam parameters are obtained. There is a need for beam-monitoring devices with fast feedback, a calibrated flux response, and a wide dynamic range that are capable of imaging an X-ray beam in real time for efficient beam optimization. The novel, unique transparent imaging detector is based on a near-percolation organic nanocomposite pixelating matrix. This thin layer of organic nanocomposite provides affordable X-ray transparency and high-resolution imaging, while the readout electronics provide high-frequency readout operation and accurate X-ray photon counting. Phase I will result in the development of a proof-of-concept Phase I benchtop prototype and a demonstration through laboratory experiments, computer modeling, and simulation of an advanced, transparent X-ray beam-imaging system based on a novel, unique detection media: a thin near- percolation organic nanocomposite. The project will include studying the detector performance through modeling, simulation, and X-ray experiments with X-ray energies (5-20 keV). The proposed device can be used in commercial applications as an advanced, transparent X-ray beam-imaging system based on a novel, unique detection media: a thin near-percolation organic nanocomposite. The detector can be used for control of synchrotron X-ray beams used for quality control in the semiconductor (including potential application for counterfeit integrated circuit identification) as well as in electronics industries, material research, and biomedical imaging.