High-resolution and sensitivity bi-directional x-ray phase contrast imaging using 2D Talbot array illuminators

Two-dimensional (2D) Talbot array illuminators (TAIs) were designed, fabricated, and evaluated for high-resolution high-contrast x-ray phase imaging of soft tissue at 10–20 keV. The TAIs create intensity modulations with a high compression ratio on the micrometer scale short propagation distances. Their performance was compared various other wavefront markers in terms period, visibility, flux efficiency, flexibility to be adapted limited beam coherence detector resolution. Differential contrast dark-field demonstrated one-dimensional, linear stepping approach yielding 2D sensitivity using unified modulated pattern analysis (UMPA) retrieval. method employed computed tomography reaching resolution 3 µm an unstained murine artery. It opens new possibilities three-dimensional, non-destructive, quantitative matter such as virtual histology. modulators can also used applications dynamic imaging, super-resolution structured illumination microscopy, or sensing.