SBIR-STTR Award

A large area solid-state digital x-ray imaging system has the potential to improve existing non-destructive test and inspection techniques. The imaging sensor consists of a fluorescent screen, a fiber optics bundle and an array of solid-state image sensors. Subsequent digital image processing and archival techniques offer cost savings and improved resolution over most existing modalities. The sensor can be fabricated in arbitrary sizes.

An incoherent fiber optic image conduit containing two million 50 micron fibers was investigated to determine the feasibility of transporting and descrambling images using a digital video processor. Small 400 pixel images were successfully transported and descrambled using software executed algorithms on a PC-based electronic imaging workstation. The system resolution was measured to be 1 to 2 line pairs per millimeter. The fiber optic image conduit image surfaces were poorly finished, degrading transmitted image quality. Phase II goals are to improve fiber optic image surface quality and manufacturing techniques and to convert image descramble algorithms to hard-wired execution. Inexpensive, real-time, ultra-high resolution x-ray imaging systems that are rugged and compact can be constructed using this technology.