Provided is a radiation phase-contrast imaging device capable of assuredly detecting a self-image and precisely imaging the internal structure of an object. According to the configuration of the present invention, the longitudinal direction of a detection surface of a flat panel detector is inclined with respect to the extending direction of an absorber in a phase grating. This causes variations in the position (phase) of a projected stripe pattern of a self-image at different positions on the detection surface. This is therefore expected to produce the same effects as those obtainable when a plurality of self-images are obtained by performing imaging a plurality of times in such a manner that the position of the projected self-images on the detection surface varies. This alone, however, results in a single self-image phase for a specific region of the object. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is configured such that imaging is performed while changing the relative position of the imaging system and the object.

An illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography includes a field facet mirror and a pupil facet mirror. A correction control device, which is used for the controlled displacement of at least some field facets that are usable as correction field facets, which are signal connected to displacement actuators, is embodied so that a correction displacement path for the correction field facets is so large that a respective correction illumination channel is cut off at the margin by the correction pupil facet so that the illumination light partial beam is not transferred in the entirety thereof from the correction pupil facet into the object field.

An x-ray transmission spectrometer system to be used with a compact x-ray source to measure x-ray absorption with both high spatial and high spectral resolution. The spectrometer system comprises a compact high brightness x-ray source, an optical system with a low pass spectral filter property to focus the x-rays through an object to be examined, and a spectrometer comprising a crystal analyzer (and, in some embodiments, a mosaic crystal) to disperse the transmitted beam, and in some instances an array detector. The high brightness/high flux x-ray source may have a take-off angle between 0 and 15 degrees, and be coupled to an optical system that collects and focuses the high flux x-rays to micron-scale spots, leading to high flux density. The x-ray optical system may also act as a “low-pass” filter, allowing a predetermined bandwidth of x-rays to be observed at one time while excluding the higher harmonics.

The disclosure provides a method that includes filling a cavity in a substrate with a second material, wherein the substrate includes a first material. The method also includes using galvanic and/or chemical deposition of a third material to apply an overcoating to a first surface of the substrate in a region of the cavity. The method further includes removing the second material from the cavity. In addition, the method includes, before or after removing the second material from the cavity, applying a reflective layer to the overcoating. The disclosure also provides related optical articles and systems.

A radiation phase change detection method includes: arranging a two-dimensional optical image pickup element, which includes a scintillator, so that, when a period of a self-image generated through a phase grating is defined as D.sub.1, and a pixel pitch of the two-dimensional optical image pickup element is defined as D.sub.2=kD.sub.1, k falls in a range of 1/2<k≦3/2, and so that interference fringes formed by D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 depending on a relationship in arrangement of the two-dimensional optical image pickup element with respect to the self-image have a period of 2 times D.sub.2 or more and 100 times D.sub.2 or less; acquiring images of the interference fringes before and after insertion of an object; and outputting an image on a phase change of the radiation caused by at least the object.

The invention discloses a dynamic intensity-modulated segmentation method for an orthogonal double-layer grating blade device. The core of the segmentation algorithm is to construct a virtual single-layer grating after the velocities of the two-layer gratings are synthesized to perform dynamic intensity modulation of the single-layer grating (sliding-window) segmentation, and finally use two layers of gratings to conform to each segment. In order to reduce the segmentation error, the invention provides two optimization methods: blade motion trajectory optimization method and segment weight optimization method. The blade motion trajectory optimization method is to optimize the objective function under certain constraints with the motion trajectory of each blade as a variable under the condition that the segment weight is fixed. Segment weight optimization method is to optimize the time points of each segment when the blade motion trajectory is fixed. Both of the two optimization methods can reduce the error of the segmentation intensity and improve the optimization effect.

A switchable grating for phase contrast imaging comprising a reservoir with a medium and x-ray absorbing particles acoustically connected to a first ultrasound generator and a second ultrasound generator arranged along a side of the reservoir orthogonal to the first side. The ultrasound generators are each, individually or together, configured to generate a soundwave with a frequency and phase such that a standing wave is formed within the medium causing the x-ray absorbing particles to organize along pressure nodes of the standing waves.

An x-ray phase contrast imaging apparatus and method of operating the same. The apparatus passes x-rays generated by an x-ray source through, in succession, a source grating, an object of interest, a phase grating, and an analyzer grating. The x-ray source, the source grating, the phase grating, and the analyzer grating move as a single entity relative to an object of interest. The phase grating and the analyzer grating remain in fixed relative location and fixed relative orientation with respect to one another. The detected x-rays are converted to a time sequence of electrical signals. In some cases, the apparatus is controlled, and the electrical signals are analyzed by, by a general purpose programmable computer provided with instructions recorded on a machine readable medium. One or more x-ray phase contrast images of the object of interest are generated, and can be recorded or displayed.

A high-aspect ratio structure production method and an ultrasonic probe production method of the present invention include: forming, in a principal surface of a substrate, a plurality of pores each extending in a direction intersecting the principal surface; plugging, among the plurality of pores, one or more pores formed in a first region; and forming a recess in a second region by a wet etching process. A high-aspect ratio structure includes a grating having a plurality of convex portions, wherein each of the plurality of convex portions is provided with a plugging member plugging a plurality of pores formed therein in a thickness direction of the structure.

An X-ray system for providing a converging X-rays comprises: (a) an X-ray source having an optical axis thereof; and an X-ray lens comprising at least one ring having a Bragg reflecting surface formed by a plurality of single-crystal tiles. Each tile individually comprises an adjusting arrangement enabling a tridimensional individual displacement thereof in angular and translational manner.