A method of operating a radiation inspection system includes identifying a regulatory region along a predetermined path where public access is restricted based upon criteria other than radiation exposure, measuring a radiation exposure level from a radiation source of the radiation inspection system within the regulatory region, irradiating a target within the regulatory region using the radiation source and without erecting a physical barricade, and determining a restricted area around the radiation source. The restricted area corresponds to an area where a radiation exposure rate exceeds a predetermined threshold. The radiation exposure rate may be determined by the radiation exposure level from the radiation source and a speed of the radiation inspection system. The method may include operating the radiation inspection system to dynamically adjust the restricted area so that it does not extend beyond the regulatory region. The radiation inspection system may be moveable along the predetermined path.

An x-ray imaging apparatus includes an x-ray source module configured to output source x-rays, a pencil-beam-forming module having input and output ports, and a module engagement interface that enables a user to select aligned and non-aligned configurations of the source and pencil-beam-forming modules. In the aligned configuration, the pencil-beam-forming module is aligned with the source module to receive source x-rays at the input port and to output a scanning pencil beam through the output port toward a target. In the non-aligned configuration, the pencil-beam-forming module is not aligned with the x-ray source module to receive the source x-rays nor to output the pencil beam, but instead enables the source x-rays to form a stationary, wide-area beam directed toward the target. Example embodiments can be handheld, can enable both backscatter imaging and high-resolution transmission imaging using the same apparatus, and can be employed in finding and disarming explosive devices.

A back-reflection Laue apparatus and a method are provided. The apparatus includes a source for generating X-ray radiation, a collimator for collimating the X-ray radiation into an X-ray beam; a back-reflection Laue chamber for transmitting the beam therethrough towards a sample, and back-reflecting visible radiation obtained from the beam being diffracted off the sample and converted to visible radiation upon re-entering the chamber, the chamber comprising a reflection side wall having an exterior surface and a reflective interior surface for back-reflecting the visible radiation, the wall being provided with a through-hole extending from the exterior surface to the reflective interior surface; and a detector assembly for detecting the back-reflected visible radiation. The collimator has a first end connected to the source and a second end terminating between the exterior surface and the reflective interior surface of the wall, within the through-hole, the beam exiting the collimator at the second end.

Backscatter imaging systems and methods that involve moving an emitter and a broad spectrum detector in helical motion along a medium being imaged while the emitter emits substantially monochromatic X-rays and/or gamma rays, and the broad spectrum detector acquires intensity measurement of photons backscattered from the medium. The intensity measurements are transformed into three-dimensional image data of the medium corresponding to density variations.

An inspection system that includes charged particle optics that irradiate a bottom of a hole with a charged particle beam propagated along an optical axis, an energy dispersive x-ray detector and a processor. The x-ray detector detects x-ray photons emitted from the bottom of the hole and generates detection signals indicative of the x-ray photons. The processor processes the detection signals to provide an estimate of the bottom of the hole.

A method generates a crystalline orientation map of a surface portion of a sample. A crystalline orientation map represents crystalline orientations at a plurality of sample locations of the surface portion. The method comprises recording an image of the surface portion including a central location using particles of a charged particle beam directed to the surface portion and backscattering from the surface portion for each of a plurality of different orientation settings. Each of the orientation settings is defined by an azimuthal angle and an elevation angle under which the charged particle beam is incident onto the central location during the recording of the respective image. The method also includes generating the crystalline orientation map based on the recorded images.

Apparatus and methods for Compton scattering radiography employing a variable energy X-ray source and a detector capable of detecting the temporal intensity profile of scattered X-ray pulses disposed on one side of an object to be imaged. Based on analysis of the measurement of the instantaneous intensity of the detected photons and the beam position relative to the object, an image is generated. Each voxel can be reconstructed to yield a measure of variation in the density of the material of the object.

An alignment system for aligning apertures in an X-ray backscatter system is provided. Additionally, a method for aligning apertures in an X-ray backscatter system is provided. Further, a computer-readable storage device including computer-executable instructions for aligning apertures in an X-ray backscatter system is provided.

A non-destructive inspection system 1 includes a neutron radiation source 3 capable of emitting neutrons N, and a neutron detector 14 capable of detecting neutrons Nb produced via an inspection object 6a among neutrons N emitted from the neutron radiation source 3. The neutron radiation source 3 includes a linear accelerator 11 capable of emitting charged particles P accelerated; a first magnet section 12 including magnets 12a and 12b facing each other, the magnets 12a and 12b being capable of deflecting the charged particles P in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of emission of the charged particles P from the linear accelerator 11; and a target section 13 capable of producing neutrons N by being irradiated with the charged particles P that have passed through the first magnet section 12.

Dynamic band contrast image (DBCI) is constructed with scattering patterns acquired at multiple scanning locations of a sample using a charged particle beam. Each pixel of the DBCI is generated by integrating the corresponding scattering pattern along a diffraction band. The DBCI includes charged particle channeling condition and can be used for detecting sample defects.