A collimator according to an embodiment is a collimator for use in an X-ray CT apparatus and includes a collimator module and resin. The collimator module includes a first scattered ray eliminating part and a second scattered ray eliminating part. The resin is provided between the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part and is configured to hold the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part.

The present techniques relate to various aspects of forming and filling high-aspect ratio trench structures (e.g., trench structures having an aspect ratio of 20 or greater, including aspect ratios in the range of 20:1 up to and including 50:1 or greater) combined with trench opening widths ranging from 0.5 micron to 50 microns. In one implementation a method to fabricate high-aspect ratio trenches in silicon is provided using a patterned photoresist on evaporated aluminum. In accordance with this approach, a high-aspect ratio trench can be formed having vertical side walls and defect-free trench bottoms. In some instances it may be desirable to fill such high-aspect ratio trench structures with a metal or other substrate to provide certain functionality associated with the fill material. Further processes and structures are related in which such trench structures are filled using a mixture of high-Z nano-particles within an epoxy resin matrix.

Collimators and other components for use in neutron scattering experiments or to provide neutron shielding in nuclear reactors or accelerator based neutron sources are produced by additive manufacturing from neutron absorbing material, such as boron carbide (B.sub.4C) or isotopically enriched boron carbide (.sup.10B).

A method of imaging reconstruction includes providing a detector and a collimator, operating the detector to acquire a measured image of a target object from photons passing through the collimator, partitioning the collimator such that the collimator can be represented by a first matrix, providing an initial estimated image of the target object, and calculating an estimated image of the target object based on the measured image and the first matrix. The calculating of the estimated image includes an iteration using the initial estimated image as a starting point. The method also includes partitioning the collimator such that the collimator can be represented by a second matrix larger than the first matrix, and calculating a refined estimated image of the target object based on the measured image and the second matrix. The calculating of the refined estimated image includes an iteration using the estimated image as a starting point.

Various methods and systems are provided for x-ray imaging. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring, with an x-ray detector, an x-ray image of a subject, determining a transformation that minimizes anti-scatter grid artifacts in the x-ray image, correcting the x-ray image according to the transformation to generate a corrected image, and outputting the corrected image. In this way, artifacts arising from a misalignment of an anti-scatter grid between the calibration and the acquisition may be reduced.

An atomic beam is irradiated with a first laser beam, a second laser beam, and a third laser beam. The first laser beam and the third laser beam each have a wavelength corresponding to a transition between a ground state and a first excited state. The second laser beam has a wavelength corresponding to a transition between the ground state and a second excited state. First, atoms each having a smaller velocity component than a predetermined velocity in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the atomic beam are changed from the ground state to the first excited state by the first laser beam. Subsequently, a momentum is provided for individual atoms in the ground state by the second laser beam, which removes the atoms from the atomic beam. Finally, atoms in the first excited state are returned from the first excited state to the ground state by the third laser beam.

The disclosure provides systems and methods for adjusting a multi-leaf collimator (MLC). The MLC includes a plurality of cross-layer leaf pairs, each cross-layer leaf pair of the plurality of cross-layer leaf pairs includes a first leaf located in a first layer of leaves and a second leaf opposingly located in a second layer of leaves. For at least one cross-layer leaf pair, an effective cross-layer leaf gap to be formed between the first leaf and the second leaf may be determined; at least one of the first leaf or the second leaf may be caused to move to form the effective cross-layer leaf gap; and an in-layer leaf gap may be caused, based on the effective cross-layer leaf gap, to be formed between the first leaf and an opposing first leaf in the first layer. A size of the in-layer leaf gap may be no less than a threshold.

A planar-symmetry device for high-sensitivity gamma ray detection, which allows real-time tomography image reconstruction with very good spatial resolution. Advantageously, the multi-pinhole collimators of the device move during data collection and/or one or more of the pinholes thereof moves independently, thereby allowing possible artifacts resulting from overlap areas of the detector to be completely eliminated.

The present invention relates to an X-ray anti-scatter grid (10). The anti-scatter grid comprises a plurality of primary septa walls (20), and a plurality of secondary septa walls (30). The plurality of primary septa walls comprise an X-ray absorbing material. The plurality of primary septa walls are substantially parallel to one another. The plurality of secondary septa walls are located between adjacent pairs of walls of the plurality of primary septa walls such that each secondary septa wall is located between an adjacent pair of walls of the plurality of primary septa walls. Each secondary septa wall of the plurality of secondary septa walls is formed from a plurality of columnar structures (40) extending between the plurality of primary septa walls. The plurality of columnar structures comprise an X-ray absorbing material.

In accordance with the invention, an X-ray amplitude analyzer grating adapted for use in an interferometric imaging system, the interferometric imaging system comprising an X-ray source and an X-ray detector with an X-ray fringe plane between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, wherein an X-ray fringe pattern is formed at the X-ray fringe plane, wherein the X-ray amplitude analyzer grating is provided. The X-ray amplitude analyzer grating comprises a plurality of grating pixels across two dimensions of the X-ray amplitude analyzer grating, wherein each grating pixels of the plurality of grating pixels has a different pattern with respect to all adjacent grating pixels to the grating pixel so that all adjacent grating pixels do not have a same pattern as the grating pixel.