An imaging system (IS) including device (G, IFD) for phase contrast and/or dark field imaging such as a grating (G). The device has a periodic structure with a spatial period p. The imaging system (IS) further includes a phase stepping mechanism (PSM) configured to facilitate a relative phase stepping motion between the device (G, IFD) and a focal spot (FS) of an X-ray source (XS) of the imaging system (IS). The relative phase stepping motion covers a distance greater than the said spatial period to reduce artifacts in dark-field or phase contrast imagery caused by defects in the grating.

An improved microreactor for use in microscopy, use of said microreactor, and a microscope comprising said reactor. The present invention is in the field of microscopy, specifically in the field of electron and focused ion beam microscopy (EM and FIB), and in particular Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). However its application is extendable in principle to any field of microscopy, especially wherein characteristics of a (solid) specimen (or sample) are studied in detail, such as during a reaction.

A lattice energy converter (LEC) is disclosed that produces ionizing radiation and/or electricity based on the thermal energy in the lattice of a specially prepared working electrode comprised in whole or in part of hydrogen host materials that are occluded with hydrogen or the isotopes of hydrogen and wherein the hydrogen host materials may include vacancies, superabundant vacancies, and other lattice defects. When the hydrogen host material is occluded with hydrogen, the LEC was found to self-initiate the production of ionizing radiation and, when the hydrogen host materials are in fluidic contact with a gas or vapor containing hydrogen or isotopes of hydrogen, the LEC was found to self-sustain the production of ionizing radiation. When the LEC includes one or more additional electrodes or electrode structures, the ionizing radiation was found to be converted to electrical energy. Materials that are normally considered to be radioactive are not required.

An on-axis, angled, rotator device is disclosed. The rotator device may include a container containing a slot for receiving a sample. An angle of the slot may be configured to be between 0 and 180 degrees relative to a perpendicular irradiation plane of a radiation device. The rotator device may include a cup positioned within an opening of the container. Additionally, the rotator device may include a driveshaft configured to transmit torque to cause the cup to be rotated when the cup is positioned within the opening. When the sample resides within the slot and the driveshaft transmits the torque to the cup, the cup may cause the sample to rotate about a center axis of the sample. The angle of the slot containing the sample and the rotation of the sample about the center axis may facilitate uniform radiation exposure to the sample when the radiation device emits radiation.

An X-ray microscope includes at least one of an X-ray source, a sample holding part, a concave Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror, a convex Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror, and a light receiving part located at a position in an imaging relation to a position of the sample holding part in this order along an optical axis.

A lattice energy converter (LEC) is disclosed that produces ionizing radiation and/or electricity based on the thermal energy in the lattice of a specially prepared working electrode comprised in whole or in part of hydrogen host materials that are occluded with hydrogen or the isotopes of hydrogen and wherein the hydrogen host materials may include vacancies, superabundant vacancies, and other lattice defects. When the hydrogen host material is occluded with hydrogen, the LEC was found to self-initiate the production of ionizing radiation and, when the hydrogen host materials are in fluidic contact with a gas or vapor containing hydrogen or isotopes of hydrogen, the LEC was found to self-sustain the production of ionizing radiation. When the LEC includes one or more additional electrodes or electrode structures, the ionizing radiation was found to be converted to electrical energy. Materials that are normally considered to be radioactive are not required.

An X-ray detector module includes a plurality of evaluation circuits, coupled to at least one converter circuit, each evaluation circuit including a multiplicity of pixel electronics circuits for processing the electrical signals from the converter circuit pixel by pixel; and a number of forwarding circuits, a forwarding circuit including at least a first data input for receiving a measured data set from a first evaluation circuit and at least a second data input for receiving a measured data set from a second evaluation circuit, or for receiving at least one forwarded measured data set from a further forwarding circuit of the number of forwarding circuits. Each forwarding circuit is constructed to forward the measured data sets that are received by way of the first data input and second data input to a coupled receiving circuit over a common data output.

An on-axis, angled, rotator device is disclosed. The rotator device may include a container containing a slot for receiving a sample. An angle of the slot may be configured to be between 0 and 180 degrees relative to a perpendicular irradiation plane of a radiation device. The rotator device may include a cup positioned within an opening of the container. Additionally, the rotator device may include a driveshaft configured to transmit torque to cause the cup to be rotated when the cup is positioned within the opening. When the sample resides within the slot and the driveshaft transmits the torque to the cup, the cup may cause the sample to rotate about a center axis of the sample. The angle of the slot containing the sample and the rotation of the sample about the center axis may facilitate uniform radiation exposure to the sample when the radiation device emits radiation.

An X-ray detector module includes a plurality of evaluation circuits, coupled to at least one converter circuit, each evaluation circuit including a multiplicity of pixel electronics circuits for processing the electrical signals from the converter circuit pixel by pixel; and a number of forwarding circuits, a forwarding circuit including at least a first data input for receiving a measured data set from a first evaluation circuit and at least a second data input for receiving a measured data set from a second evaluation circuit, or for receiving at least one forwarded measured data set from a further forwarding circuit of the number of forwarding circuits. Each forwarding circuit is constructed to forward the measured data sets that are received by way of the first data input and second data input to a coupled receiving circuit over a common data output.

An on-axis, angled, rotator device is disclosed. The rotator device may include a container containing a slot for receiving a sample. An angle of the slot may be configured to be between 0 and 180 degrees relative to a perpendicular irradiation plane of a radiation device. The rotator device may include a cup positioned within an opening of the container. Additionally, the rotator device may include a driveshaft configured to transmit torque to cause the cup to be rotated when the cup is positioned within the opening. When the sample resides within the slot and the driveshaft transmits the torque to the cup, the cup may cause the sample to rotate about a center axis of the sample. The angle of the slot containing the sample and the rotation of the sample about the center axis may facilitate uniform radiation exposure to the sample when the radiation device emits radiation.