The SLcam: A full-field energy dispersive X-ray camera

TL;DR

The SLcam is a portable, full-field X-ray camera capable of real-time, energy-resolved imaging without scanning, providing rapid elemental mapping with high spatial resolution using innovative optics and dedicated software.

Contribution

It introduces a novel full-field X-ray camera with exchangeable optics and real-time spectral processing, enabling fast, high-resolution elemental imaging without scanning.

Findings

Achieved 50 μm spatial resolution with straight optics.

Demonstrated 10 μm resolution with conical optics and magnification.

Enabled rapid elemental mapping within minutes.

Abstract

The color X-ray camera (SLcam) is a full-field single photon imager. As stand-alone camera, it is applicable for energy and space-resolved X-ray detection measurements. The exchangeable poly-capillary optics in front of a beryllium entrance window conducts X-ray photons from the probe to distinguished energy dispersive pixels on a pnCCD. The dedicated software enables the acquisition and the online processing of the spectral data for all 69696 pixels, leading to a real-time visualization of the element distribution in a sample. No scanning system is employed. A first elemental composition image of the sample is visible within minutes while statistics is improving in the course of time. Straight poly-capillary optics allows for 1:1 imaging with a space resolution of 50 um and no limited depth of sharpness, ideal to map uneven objects. Using conically shaped optics, a magnification of 6 times was achieved with a space resolution of 10 um. We present a measurement with a laboratory source showing the camera capability to perform fast full-field X-ray Fluorescence (FF-XRF) imaging with an easy, portable and modular setup.