X-ray diffraction imaging self-detected with a CCD

Self-detection of x-ray diffraction has been accomplished by measuring the electrical behaviour of a semiconductor single-crystal of a commercial detector when it is in and out of the x-ray diffraction condition. A decrease in the photocurrent or in the photocounting is measured when the detector is set in the diffraction condition. The self-detection of x-ray diffraction was imaged using a CCD detector diffracting the Si(400) in a non-dispersive set-up with an external monochromator. The depletion layer of the CCD is about 30 mum thick, which makes it a finite crystal for the energies used in terms of the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction. The profile, referred to here as the anti-h peak, was obtained from images taken at different diffraction angular positions of the CCD. These profiles are in agreement with those calculated for finite crystals. An application of this effect, where the CCD is used as a detector and an analyser crystal in an analyser-based x-ray phase contrast imaging set-up, is realized here. It could be useful for Multiple Imaging Radiography and related mathematical image processing with the Schlieren method.