Correction of beam hardening in X-ray radiograms

Baur M, Uhlmann N, Pöschel T, Schröter M (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Review of Scientific Instruments AIP Publishing

Book Volume: 90

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1063/1.5080540

Abstract

The intensity of a monochromatic X-ray beam decreases exponentially with the distance it has traveled inside a material; this behavior is commonly referred to as Beer-Lambert's law. Knowledge of the material-specific attenuation coefficient mu allows us to determine the thickness of a sample from the intensity decrease the beam has experienced. However, classical X-ray tubes emit a polychromatic bremsstrahlung-spectrum. And the attenuation coefficients of all materials depend on the photon energy: photons with high energy are attenuated less than photons with low energy. In consequence, the X-ray spectrum changes while traveling through the medium; due to the relative increase in high energy photons, this effect is called beam hardening. For this varying spectrum, the Beer-Lambert law only remains valid if mu is replaced by an effective attenuation coefficient mu(eff) which depends not only on the material but also on its thickness x and the details of the X-ray setup used. We present here a way to deduce mu(eff)(x) from a small number of auxiliary measurements using a phenomenological model. This model can then be used to determine an unknown material thickness or in the case of a granular media its volume fraction. Published under license by AIP Publishing.

Authors with CRIS profile

Manuel Baur Lehrstuhl für Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems (MSS) Thorsten Pöschel Lehrstuhl für Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems (MSS) Matthias Schröter Lehrstuhl für Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems (MSS)

Involved external institutions

Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen (IIS) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Baur, M., Uhlmann, N., Pöschel, T., & Schröter, M. (2019). Correction of beam hardening in X-ray radiograms. Review of Scientific Instruments, 90(2). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5080540

MLA:

Baur, Manuel, et al. "Correction of beam hardening in X-ray radiograms." Review of Scientific Instruments 90.2 (2019).

BibTeX: Download