Abstract
During the past decade methods for non-destructive identification and imaging of materials within bulk objects have been developed based on the measurement of coherent X-ray scatter. Their applicability to a given medical or industrial problem, however, strongly depends on the individual system design since the key features resolution, sensitivity and spatial resolution are strongly interrelated.
In this paper quantitative simulation is presented as a means for system optimization without the requirement for time consuming experiments. By means of a full 3D model of the scatter geometry, which holds for rotationally symmetric collimator arrangements, possible photon scatter paths are evaluated using a Monte Carlo algorithm. This enables simulation of energy resolved scatter patterns based on powder diffraction (PDF) literature data. In addition, the influence of the attenuation caused by the object is taken into account by calculating the transmission spectrum. For quantitative assessment of sensitivity, scatter count rates and thus signal-to-noise ratios are calculated based on a calibration procedure combining the result of a simulation with that of a corresponding measurement.
The results of the simulation are shown to be in very good agreement with experimental data. Taking various examples of application as a basis, the usability of the simulation program for the assessment and individual optimization of system performance is demonstrated.
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