Fast High-resolution 6D X-ray Micro-beam Characterisation

我们的建议涉及开发一种世界领先的仪器，该仪器将比以往任何时候都更有效和高效地表征同步辐射（SR）设施产生的强烈的高度准直x射线束。该设备将结合高速性能与极灵敏的光束位置测量和光束成像能力。这是第一次，一台仪器将提供一套全面的x射线束特征：焦点大小，位置，强度分布和能量（波长）。对于x射线区域来说，这些测量是独一无二的，可以在实验中进行：它将是一个原位的，但实际上是透明的设备，是最先进的探测器和信号处理技术的产物。该装置的高时间分辨率将使光束离焦、振动、位移和强度波动的快速检测成为可能。至关重要的是，这种能力将通过输出信号反馈到周围光学基础设施的可能性来增强，以促进任何光束运动的纠正或确实准确地跟踪目标以执行二维扫描。简而言之，我们的世界级系统将展示几个创新的特点，将显著提高使用微米级x射线光束获取数据的准确性、可靠性和范围。考虑到使用同步辐射的更广泛的科学家群体，应该强调的是，这种尖端设备的基础技术是可转让的。这将有利于在所有SR设施进行的所有科学实验，无论其方法或使用的波长范围如何。例如，在成像实验中，它将导致更清晰的图像：由于光照不均匀而导致的任何模糊和异常都可以消除。在所有的实验中，由于光束进入单色器的角漂移，入射到样品上的光束中的能量偏移可以消除。在x射线衍射和散射中，强度可以在绝对尺度上记录，从而消除了普遍存在的尺度因子和用不同光束强度进行的连续单个测量之间的修正。显微成像和光谱学领域的实验需要维持微观目标区域高度准直光束的稳定入射通量，这为新技术提供了特别适合的挑战，特别是在通常情况下还需要波长扫描的情况下。作为将受益的新兴领域的例子，我们引用了使用荧光断层扫描和显微光谱法对生物物种的研究。近年来发表的关于x射线束位置监测的研究呈指数增长，表明了拟议项目的话题性和对该领域的普遍兴趣水平。我们的方法是原创的，优于现有的解决方案，扩展了现有的仅监测光束位置的原位光束监测器的性能范围。我们的多学科研究团队已经在两次成功的概念验证实验中展示了该技术的潜力[1-3；第1部分)。此外，我们有专门的学术和工业合作伙伴，他们致力于帮助我们开发和采用这项新技术。

Our proposal concerns the development of a world-leading instrument that will characterise more effectively and efficiently than ever before the intense highly collimated X-ray beams produced at Synchrotron Radiation (SR) facilities. The device will combine high-speed performance with extremely sensitive beam position measurement and beam imaging capabilities. For the first time, one instrument will provide a comprehensive set of X-ray beam characteristics: focal size, position, intensity distribution and energy (wavelength). Uniquely for the X-ray region, these measurements can be performed during an experiment: it will be an in situ - but virtually transparent - device, the product of state-of-the-art detector and signal processing technology. The high temporal resolution of the proposed device will enable the fast detection of beam defocus, vibration, shift and intensity fluctuations. Crucially this capability will be augmented by the possibility of feedback of the output signals into the surrounding optical infrastructure to facilitate correction of any beam motion or indeed accurate tracking across a target to perform a two-dimensional scan.In brief, our world-class system will exhibit several innovative features that will significantly improve the accuracy, reliability and scope of data acquired using micrometer-sized X-ray beams. Looking at the wider community of scientists using synchrotron radiation, it should be stressed that the underlying technology of this cutting-edge device is transferable. It will benefit all scientific experiments conducted at all SR facilities, irrespective of their methodology or wavelength range utilised. For example, in imaging experiments, it will lead to sharper images: any blurring and anomalies due to uneven illumination can be removed. In all experiments, energy shifts in the beam impinging on the sample due to angular drift of the beam entering the monochromator may be eliminated. In X-ray diffraction and scattering, intensities may be recorded on an absolute scale doing away with the ubiquitous scale factor and corrections between successive individual measurements taken with varying beam intensities. Experiments in the domain of microscopic imaging and spectroscopy that require the maintenance of a steady incident flux of a highly collimated beam of a microscopic target area provide a challenge for which the new technology is particularly suitable, especially if, as is often the case, a wavelength scan is also required. As examples of nascent fields that would benefit, we cite the study of biological species using fluorescence tomography and microspectrometry.The topicality of the proposed project and general level of interest in the area is indicated by the exponential increase in published research on X-ray beam position monitoring in recent years. Our approach is original and superior to existing solutions, extending the performance envelope of existing in situ beam monitors that monitor beam position alone. Our multidisciplinary research team has already demonstrated the potential of the technology in two successful proof-of-concept experiments [1-3; part 1]. Furthermore, we have dedicated academic and industrial partners on board who are committed to helping us to develop and enable take up of this novel technology.