First point-spread function and x-ray phase-contrast imaging results with an 88-mm diameter single crystal

In this study, we report initial demonstrations of the use of single crystals in indirect x-ray imaging with a benchtop implementation of propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging. Based on single Gaussian peak fits to the x-ray images, we observed a four times smaller system point-spread function (PSF) with the 50-µm thick single crystal scintillators than with the reference polycrystalline phosphor/scintillator. Fiber-optic plate depth-of-focus and Al reflective-coating aspects are also elucidated. Guided by the results from the 25-mm diameter crystal samples, we report additionally the first results with a unique 88-mm diameter single crystal bonded to a fiber optic plate and coupled to the large format CCD. Both PSF and x-ray phase-contrast imaging data are quantified and presented.