Sub-micron focal spot X-ray source for ultra-high resolution detector characterization and nano-imaging applications

滑铁卢大学是数字X射线技术的国际领导者，除其他设备外，还促进了世界上最高空间分辨率的数字X射线成像仪的发明，其像素间距低于10微米，比可比较的市售最先进的X射线成像设备小10倍。这种超高分辨率X射线成像仪在大分子晶体学、医学成像、半导体元件无损检测和生物技术研究等领域将出现新的应用。加拿大光源（CLS）光束线和美国国家实验室同步加速器设施的主要领导人已经表达了对使用这些高分辨率探测器探索新应用的浓厚兴趣。该提案要求最先进的0.25 μ m焦斑X射线源能够（1）在工程原型开发阶段表征这些世界上第一个超高分辨率数字X射线成像仪，以及（2）在新材料（包括纳米材料）领域使用新型X射线探测器承担新的科学成像任务。表征设备将被安置在大学级的Giga-to-Nanoelectronics（G2 N）设施中，并将向所有G2 N实验室用户（每年来自10个部门的45个用户）以及Teledyne DALSA和ON Semiconductor等着名的本地数字成像行业提供。主要研究者和共同申请人每年培训30多名HQP，预计其中至少有一半人每年将接受使用拟议基础设施进行X射线和数字成像仪表征的培训。到目前为止，相关研究项目的毕业生已经在Teledyne DALSA，GE Healthcare，Apple，ON Semiconductor，US FDA，Omnivision，Christie Digital，Amplis找到了工作，并且有两个已经开始了自己的公司。

The University of Waterloo is an international leader in digital X-ray technology having facilitated the invention of, among other devices, one of the world's highest-spatial-resolution digital X-ray imager having a pixel pitch of under 10 microns, more then 10X smaller than a comparable commercially available state-of-the-art X-ray imaging device. New applications are poised to emerge for this ultra-high resolution X-ray imager in fields such as macromolecular crystallography, medical imaging, non-destructive testing of semiconductor components, and biotech research. Key leaders at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) beam line and the U.S. National Labs synchrotron facility have already expressed keen interest in using these high-resolution detectors to explore new applications. This proposal requests a state-of-the-art 0.25 um focal spot X-ray source capable of (1) characterizing these world-first ultra-high resolution digital X-ray imagers during the engineering prototype development phase and (2) undertaking new scientific imaging tasks using the novel X-ray detector in the fields of new materials (including nano materials). The characterization equipment will be housed in the university-level Giga-to-Nanoelectronics (G2N) facility and will be accessible to all G2N lab users (45 annually from across ten departments) as well as prominent local digital imaging industry such as Teledyne DALSA and ON Semiconductor. The PI and co-applicants are training over 30 HQPs annually and it is expected that at least half of these will be trained annually on X-ray and digital imager characterization using the proposed infrastructure. To date, graduates from the relevant research programs have found employment at Teledyne DALSA, GE Healthcare, Apple, ON Semiconductor, US FDA, Omnivision, Christie Digital, Ignis, and two have started their own company.