X-ray phase-contrast imaging with an inverse compton scattering source

Single-shot in-line phase-contrast imaging with the Inverse Compton Scattering X-ray source available at ATF (Accelerator Test Facility) at Brookhaven National Laboratory is experimentally demonstrated. Phase-contrast images of polymer wires are obtained with a single X-ray pulse whose time length is about 1 picosecond. The edge-enhancement effect is clearly visible in the images and simulations show a quantitative agreement with experimental data. A phase-retrieval step in the image processing leads to a accurate estimation of the projected thickness of our samples. Finally, a single-shot image of a wasp is presented as an example of a biological sample. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.