Differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system and components

1. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system, comprising:

an X-ray illumination system;

a beam splitter arranged in an optical path of said X-ray illumination system; and

a detection system arranged in an optical path to detect X-rays after passing through said beam splitter, said detection system comprising an X-ray detection component,

wherein said beam splitter comprises a splitter grating arranged to intercept an incident X-ray beam and provide an interference pattern of X-rays,

wherein said detection system comprises an analyzer grating arranged to intercept and block at least portions of said interference pattern of X-rays prior to reaching said X-ray detection component,

wherein said analyzer grating has a longitudinal dimension, a lateral dimension that is orthogonal to said longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension that is orthogonal to said longitudinal and lateral dimensions, said analyzer grating comprising a pattern of optically dense regions each having a longest dimension along said longitudinal dimension and being spaced substantially parallel to each other in said lateral dimension such that there are optically rare regions between adjacent optically dense regions,

wherein each optically dense region has a depth in said transverse dimension that is smaller than a length in said longitudinal dimension,

wherein said analyzer grating is arranged with said longitudinal dimension at a shallow angle relative to incident X-rays, and

wherein said shallow angle is less than 30 degrees.

2. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein each optically dense region has a depth in said transverse dimension that is smaller than a length in said longitudinal dimension by at least a factor of two.

3. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein each optically dense region has a depth in said transverse dimension that is smaller than a length in said longitudinal dimension by at least a factor of ten.

4. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein each optically dense region has a depth in said transverse dimension that is smaller than a length in said longitudinal dimension by at least a factor of one hundred.

5. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said shallow angle is less than 25 degrees and greater than 3 degrees.

6. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said shallow angle is less than 15 degrees and greater than 5 degrees.

7. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said splitter grating is a reflection grating.

8. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said splitter grating is a transmission grating.

9. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 8 , wherein said splitter grating has a longitudinal dimension, a lateral dimension that is orthogonal to said longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension that is orthogonal to said longitudinal and lateral dimensions, said splitter grating comprising a pattern of optically dense regions each having a longest dimension along said longitudinal dimension and being spaced substantially parallel to each other in said lateral dimension such that there are optically rare regions between adjacent optically dense regions,

wherein each optically dense region has a depth in said transverse dimension that is smaller than a length in said longitudinal dimension,

wherein said splitter grating is arranged with said longitudinal dimension at a shallow angle relative to incident X-rays, and

wherein said shallow angle is less than 30 degrees.

10. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said X-ray illumination system comprises:

an X-ray source, and

a source grating arranged in an optical path between said X-ray source and said beam splitter,

wherein said source grating provides a plurality of substantially coherent X-ray beams.

11. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said X-ray illumination system comprises:

a poly-energetic X-ray source, and

a band-pass filter arranged in an optical path of X-rays from said poly-energetic X-ray source,

wherein said band-pass filter allows X-rays within a band of energies to pass more strongly than X-rays outside said band of energies.

12. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 11 , wherein said band-pass filter comprises:

a high-pass X-ray mirror that reflects a first portion of an incident beam of X-rays that have energies less than a lower pass-band energy and allows a second portion of said incident beam of X-rays to pass therethrough,

a first beam stop arranged to intercept and at least attenuate said first portion of said incident beam of X-rays that have energies less than said lower pass-band energy,

a low-pass X-ray mirror that reflects a portion of said second portion of said incident beam of X-rays after passing through said high-pass X-ray mirror that have energies less than a upper pass-band energy, and

a second beam stop arranged to intercept and at least attenuate X-rays that miss said high-pass X-ray mirror prior to reaching said second beam stop,

wherein said first and second beam stops are arranged to allow a beam of X-rays having energies between said upper pass-band energy and said lower pass-band energy to pass therethrough.

13. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 12 , wherein said low-pass X-ray mirror is a membrane X-ray mirror comprising a reflecting layer that comprises a high-Z material on a support layer that comprises a low-Z material,

wherein Z is an atomic number,

wherein said high-Z material includes atomic elements with Z at least 42, and

wherein said low-Z material includes atomic elements with Z less than 14.

14. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said splitter grating and said analyzer grating are arranged with a separation determined according to Talbot-Lau conditions.

15. A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said splitter grating and said analyzer grating have grating patterns determined according to Talbot-Lau conditions.

16. An X-ray illumination system, comprising:

a poly-energetic X-ray source; and

a band-pass filter arranged in an optical path of X-rays from said poly-energetic X-ray source,

wherein said band-pass filter allows X-rays within a band of energies to pass more strongly than X-rays outside said band of energies,

wherein said band-pass filter comprises:

a high-pass X-ray mirror that reflects a first portion of an incident beam of X-rays that have energies less than a lower pass-band energy and allows a second portion of said incident beam of X-rays to pass therethrough,

a first beam stop arranged to intercept and at least attenuate said first portion of said incident beam of X-rays that have energies less than said lower pass-band energy,

a low-pass X-ray mirror that reflects a portion of said second portion of said incident beam of X-rays after passing through said high-pass X-ray mirror that have energies less than a upper pass-band energy, and

a second beam stop arranged to intercept and at least attenuate X-rays that miss said high-pass X-ray mirror prior to reaching said second beam stop, and

wherein said first and second beam stops are arranged to allow a beam of X-rays having energies between said upper pass-band energy and said lower pass-band energy to pass therethrough.

17. An X-ray illumination system according to claim 16 , wherein said low-pass X-ray mirror is a membrane X-ray mirror comprising a reflecting layer that comprises a high-Z material on a support layer that comprises a low-Z material,

wherein Z is an atomic number,

wherein said high-Z material includes atomic elements with Z at least 42, and

wherein said low-Z material includes atomic elements with Z less than 14.