Affiliations: Fachbereich Physik, Bergische Universität Wuppertal,
Gauss-Str. 20, D-42097 Wuppertal, Germany | YXLON International X-Ray GmbH, Essener Str. 99,
D-22419 Hamburg, Germany
Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. H. Bomsdorf, Department of
Physics, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gauss-Str. 20, D-42097 Wuppertal,
Germany. Tel.: +49 202 439 2643; Fax: +49 202 439 3515; E-mail:
bomsdorf@uni-wuppertal.de
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.
