Work

Effects of X-ray absorption on grating-based and propagation-based phase-contrast imaging

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) enables high-contrast imaging of weakly absorbing materials, yet the coupling mechanisms between absorption and phase-contrast effects remain to be fully elucidated. This study investigates the mechanisms by which absorption influences XPCI. The results indicate that for different objects with small variations in the mass attenuation coefficient, when the X-rays used are monochromatic or have a narrow energy spectrum, the refractive index decrement exhibits an extremely high correlation with absorption. Furthermore, the refractive index decrement exhibits a higher linear correlation with mass density than the linear attenuation coefficient does. For grating-based XPCI, stronger sample absorption is accompanied by a more prominent phase-contrast signal. In contrast, the edge contrast of propagation-based XPCI arises from the synergistic contributions of refraction and absorption in the sample. This study clarifies the critical factors limiting image contrast of XPCI and the directions for improvement.

Source: Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/oe.609510

Authors: Jun Yang, Jun Cheng Qi, Hui Fang Zhang, Rong Chang Chen

Institution: North University of China

Language: English

Topic: Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques

Subfield: Radiation

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,270

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China