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

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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.