Robust x-ray linescan camera designed for high-energy and gamma ray scanning

PRESS RELEASE

Tungsten shielding and fiber-optic design resists detector damage and extends camera energy range to 450 KeV with option for 15 MeV applications

X-Scan Imaging Corporation (San Jose, CA, USA) introduces the XH8800 Series Line Scan Camera specifically designed for imaging high-energy x-ray and gamma ray scanning applications. High-energy accelerators and detectors such as the XH8800 are required to image large, dense objects such as metal castings and steel objects whose thickness can range from 4 to 12 inches. The XH8800 Camera also offers a high-performance solution for many other radiography and NDT imaging applications that can be suitably penetrated at energy levels below 450 KeV.

Standard XH Camera models are available in 7 active sensor lengths ranging from 154 to 1542 mm including a broad mix of resolutions ranging from 96 to 30720 pixels on centers as small as 50-µm. Other detector lengths can be special ordered with virtually no maximum length limit.

According to Dr. Hsin-Fu Tseng, X-Scan Imaging’s founder and chairman, “the clever (off-axis) optical path and architecture of the XH8800 Camera represents a major price/performance breakthrough in high-energy, line-scan technology and radiation imaging by reducing assembly complexity while improving performance, speed and reliability within its compact size – nothing else on the market offers better low noise, wide dynamic range, high sensitivity performance and overall value”.

All XH8800 Camera models incorporate X-Scans’ CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips with on-chip fully integrated signal processing circuits designed for visible wavelength and X-ray sensitive applications. The close proximity of the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) to the detector chips and the use of low-voltage-differential-signal (LVDS) technology help to minimize noise and maximize bandwidth. High sensitivity and high speed readout enables inspection speeds over 100 cm per second. Typical dynamic range is 4000 to 1.

Each camera includes a contiguous linear array of photodiodes, low-noise signal processing circuitry, 16-bit ADCs, digital control, and Camera Link interface to a remote (user supplied) PC-based frame-grabber and data acquisition system.

A Gd₂O₂S (Gadox) integrated direct-contact scintillator layer is attached to the surface of the detector array(s), which converts X-ray photons for the standard 100–450 KeV energy range into visible light that is sensed by the linear array of CMOS photodiodes. A unique metal enclosure design protects the camera electronics from the x-ray radiation. Various scintillation materials and a range of thicknesses can be provided for optimizing both detector sensitivity and image resolution.

The single quantity prices for the XH8800 X-ray cameras range from $7,000 to $100,000, including camera head, Camera Link interface, power adapter, cabling, and X-Scan’s proprietary software development kit including software drivers, intuitive application programming interface (API), and example code software that enables rapid development of non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection and other x-ray scanning systems. Current availability is stock to 12 weeks. Other scintillators and custom camera geometries are available as an option for special performance and energy range requirements. Contact the factory for pricing and availability.

Other applications for the X-Scan cameras include Computed Tomography (CT), industrial inspection, package content inspection, and security and cargo screening. X-Scan Imaging Corporation is a foremost designer and leading domestic manufacturer of line-scan x-ray specific imagers and camera systems using proprietary CMOS technology. For further information, contact Dr. Lin-Bo Yang, Director, X-Scan Imaging Corp., 70 Bonaventura Dr., San Jose, CA 95054. Tel: 408-432-9888; Fax: 408-432-9889; website: www.x-scanimaging.com; E-mail: [email protected].

-- Posted by Vision Systems Design