Systems and methods for determining an atomic number of a substance
View Patent ↗A method for determining a type of substance is described. The method includes determining an effective atomic number of the substance based on a measured ratio of numbers of detected x-ray scatter photons in a diffraction profile.
1. A method for determining a type of substance, said method comprising:
determining a first number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a first band of a diffraction profile;
determining a second number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a second band of the diffraction profile;
calculating a measured ratio of the first number to the second number;
determining an effective atomic number based on the measured ratio; and
identifying the type of substance based on the effective atomic number.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the substance comprises one of an amorphous substance, a quasi-amorphous substance, and a partially crystalline substance.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diffraction profile maps a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, and wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values ranges from 0.5 inverse nanometers to ten inverse nanometers.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diffraction profile maps a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, and wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values ranges from three inverse nanometers to four inverse nanometers.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:
generating a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determining the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the theoretical relationship.
6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:
fitting a line to a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determining the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the line.
7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating the diffraction profile by receiving a plurality of energies of radiation scattered from the substance.
8. A processor for determining a type of substance, said processor configured to:
determine a first number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a first band of a diffraction profile;
determine a second number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a second band of the diffraction profile;
calculate a measured ratio of the first number to the second number;
determine an effective atomic number based on the measured ratio; and
identify the type of substance based on the effective atomic number.
9. A processor in accordance with claim 8 wherein the substance comprises one of an amorphous substance, a quasi-amorphous substance, and a partially crystalline substance.
10. A processor in accordance with claim 8 further configured to generate the diffraction profile by mapping a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values range from 0.5 inverse nanometers to ten inverse nanometers.
11. A processor in accordance with claim 8 further configured to generate the diffraction profile by mapping a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, and wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values range from three inverse nanometers to four inverse nanometers.
12. A processor in accordance with claim 8 further configured to:
receive a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determine the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the theoretical relationship.
13. A processor in accordance with claim 8 further configured to:
fit a line to a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determine the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the line.
14. A processor in accordance with claim 8 further configured to generate the diffraction profile by receiving a plurality of energies of radiation scattered from the substance.
15. A system for determining a type of substance, said system comprising:
an x-ray source configured to generate x-rays;
a detector configured to detect primary and coherent scatter after the x-rays pass through the substance; and
a processor configured to:
determine a first number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a first band of a diffraction profile;
determine a second number of coherent scatter x-ray photons in a second band of the diffraction profile;
calculate a measured ratio of the first number to the second number;
determine an effective atomic number based on the measured ratio; and
identify the type of substance based on the effective atomic number.
16. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the substance comprises one of an amorphous substance, a quasi-amorphous substance, and a partially crystalline substance.
17. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said processor is further configured to generate the diffraction profile by mapping a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values range from 0.5 inverse nanometers to ten inverse nanometers.
18. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said processor is further configured to generate the diffraction profile by mapping a cumulative number of photons versus a plurality of momentum transfer values, and wherein the plurality of momentum transfer values range from three inverse nanometers to four inverse nanometers.
19. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said processor is further configured to:
receive a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determine the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the theoretical relationship.
20. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said processor is further configured to:
fit a line to a theoretical relationship mapping a plurality of atomic numbers versus a plurality of ratios of total scatter cross-sections; and
determine the effective atomic number corresponding to the measured ratio from the line.