SBIR Phase I: Electrostatic Design for Cold-Cathode, Miniature X-ray Sources

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是改善日常生活中3D x射线成像的使用。目前，3D x射线成像用于绝对需要对物体进行无损成像的应用。一个例子是在医疗保健领域，被称为计算机断层扫描，在美国每天进行25万次成像，使医生能够快速识别和治疗中风、心脏病和癌症等疾病，从而挽救了无数人的生命。机场是另一个大量使用计算机断层扫描技术的地方，它每天快速检查数百万个行李，以发现曾经无法通过传统x射线系统发现的威胁。能够用于上述应用的3D x射线成像系统体积大，价格昂贵且不可移动，这阻碍了它们在更多应用中的使用。该项目为3D x射线成像提供了一种新的架构，有望使系统更便宜、更小、更紧凑、功耗更低、性能更高。这种新架构将使3D x射线成像在医院和机场等关键基础设施场所以外的任何需要的地方和时间都更经济实惠，从而使新的应用能够访问3D x射线成像。这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目是开发新型3D x射线成像体系结构最关键组件的第一步：一种微型、高性能、廉价的x射线源。由于生成三维图像的方法，现代三维x射线成像系统体积大、价格昂贵且不可移动。单个x射线源和探测器弧对高速旋转产生不同角度的二维图像，用于重建三维模型。现代x射线源和探测器非常笨重，每个重量超过100磅，并且需要大量的结构加固，导致系统重量超过1000磅。提出的新架构使用一个固定的x射线源和探测器环。x射线源通过电开关模拟现代3D x射线成像系统的旋转而不旋转，从而使系统更便宜，更小，使用更低的功率，同时表现出更高的性能。为了实现这些愿望，必须开发一种更小、高性能和廉价的微型x射线源。该项目将首先通过测量性能、分辨率和可靠性等关键指标来表征这种x射线源。该设计将通过模拟进行迭代。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is improved access to 3D x-ray imaging in everyday life. Currently 3D x-ray imaging is used for applications where it is absolutely necessary to non-destructively image an object. One example is in healthcare, known as computed tomography, where imaging is performed 250,000 times per day in the US saving countless lives by enabling doctors to quickly identify and treat disease such as stroke, heart attack, and cancer. Airports are other locations where computed tomography is heavily used to quickly inspect millions of bags per day to catch threats that were once unable to be seen through conventional x-ray systems. The systems capable of 3D x-ray imaging for the applications mentioned above are large, expensive and immobile which prevent their use in more applications. This project enables a new architecture for 3D x-ray imaging which promises to make systems less expensive, smaller and more compact, require less power and demonstrate higher performance. This new architecture will enable access to 3D x-ray imaging for new applications by making it more affordable and available where and when it is needed, outside of key infrastructure locations like hospitals and airports.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the first step in developing the most critical component to a new 3D x-ray imaging architecture: a miniature, high-performance, and inexpensive x-ray source. Modern 3D x-ray imaging systems are large, expensive and immobile due to the method of generating 3D images. A single x-ray source and detector arc pair are rotated at high speeds to generate 2D images at different angles which are used to reconstruct a 3D model. Modern x-ray sources and detectors are very bulky, weighing over 100 pounds each, and necessitate substantial structural reinforcement, resulting in systems that weigh over 1000 pounds. The proposed new architecture uses a stationary ring of x-ray sources and detectors. The x-ray sources are electrically turned on and off mimicking the rotation of modern 3D x-ray imaging systems without spinning, resulting in a system that is inexpensive and smaller, and uses lower power while demonstrating higher performance. For these aspirations to be realized, a miniature x-ray source that is smaller, high-performance and inexpensive must be developed. This project will take the first steps to characterize such an x-ray source by measuring key metrics such as the performance, resolution and reliability. The design will be iterated through simulations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.