A high-temperature x-ray diffraction furnace for use with the General Electric Model XRD-3 x-ray diffraction unit has been developed. The furnace, which was designed and constructed by the author, has an angular range of 0-165° 20. A constant temperature or continuously increasing temperature may be programmed through the temperature range of 20°C to 1000°C. Data on the high-temperature modifications of illite obtained with the high-temperature x-ray diffraction furnace indicate a contraction of the (110) spacing at 300°C and expansions at 725°C and 880°C which were not identifiable using the quench method. The existence of interlayer water in the illite structure to temperatures over 800°C is indicated, based upon the continuous decrease of the (002) basal periodicity with increasing temperature. A skeleton illite structure or a high-temperature illite phase with a d-spacing of 9.87A survives the third endothermic reaction observed by differential thermal analysis and forms a phase which is stable at 900°C. / text

The study of magnetic properties and structures of Zn and Cd substituted mixed ferrites has been carried out using Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction on powdered samples at about 300 K. Two series of mixed ferrites, (Cd, Zn)xCol-xFe2-xAlxO4 and (Cd, Zn)xCo0.9Fe1.7-xTi0.4O 4 (where 0≤ x≤1.0) were synthesized. In the former series the effect of simultaneous site dilution by Zn or Cd and Ai atoms on tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites is investigated and in the latter the effect of single site dilution by Zn or Cd is also studied. The Mossbauer spectra show that the compounds transform with increase in x from ordered to disordered magnetic states. Systematic decrease in the hyperfine fields indicating weakening of the magnetic coupling with an increase in x is observed. We report the presence of a cross over effect with respect to the hyperfine fields on A and B sites at low concentration of diamagnetic ions in the simultaneously diluted series. Both series of compounds show no significant changes in isomer shifts with x. Differences in the evolution of Fe atoms on A and B sites between Zn and Cd based compounds are observed. The results of our analysis show that Zn and Cd ions occupy both tetrahedral and octahedral sites. The spinel structure of the compounds studied in this work is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The lattice parameters derived from XRD show systematic change with x consistent with Vergard's law. In Cd based samples an increase of the lattice parameter with x is explained on the basis of the size difference of the cations involved. However, an anomalous behavior of the lattice parameter is observed in Zn based samples. The average grain sizes of the samples were determined from the line width of the (311) XRD intensity lines using the Scherrer formula. These vary between 50 nm and 70 nm for all the samples except for Zn and Al substituted samples which show a systematic anomalous reduction for x ≥ 0.4 in grain size. The porosity, x-ray and bulk densities of the samples are also presented. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Breast CT is a promising modality whose inherent scatter could be used to reconstruct electron density (rho_e) images. This has led us to investigate the benefits of reconstructing linear attenuation coefficient (mu) and (rho_e) images of the breast. First generation CT provides a cost-effective and simple approach to reconstruct (rho_e) images in a laboratory but is limited by the anisotropic probability of scatter, attenuation, noise and contaminating scatter (coherent and multiple scatter). These issues were investigated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of a first generation breast scatter enhanced CT (B-SECT) system. A reconstruction algorithm was developed for the B-SECT system and is based on a ring of detectors which eliminates the scatter dependence on the relative position of the scattering centre. The algorithm incorporates an attenuation correction based on the (mu) image and was tested against analytical and MC simulations. MC simulations were also used to quantify the dose per scan. The ring measures a fraction of the total single incoherent scatter which is proportional to ray integrals of (rho_e) and can be quantified even when electron binding is non negligible. The algorithm typically reconstructs accurate (rho_e) images using a single correction for attenuation but has the capability for multiple iterations if required. MC simulations show that the dose coefficients are similar to those of cone beam breast CT. Coherent and multiple scatter can not be directly related to (rho_e) and lead to capping artifacts and overestimated (rho_e) by a factor greater than 2. This issue can be addressed using empirical corrections based on the radiological path of the incident beam and result in (rho_e) images of breast soft tissue with 1% accuracy, 3% precision and a mean glandular dose of 4 mGy for a 3D scan. The reconstructed (rho_e) image was more accurate than the (rho_e) estimate derived from the (mu) image. An alternative correction based on the thickness of breast traversed by the beam provides an enhanced contrast image reflecting the breast scatter properties. These results demonstrate the feasibility of detecting small (rho_e) changes in the intact breast and shows that further experimental evaluation of this technique is warranted.

Breast CT is a promising modality whose inherent scatter could be used to reconstruct electron density (rho_e) images. This has led us to investigate the benefits of reconstructing linear attenuation coefficient (mu) and (rho_e) images of the breast. First generation CT provides a cost-effective and simple approach to reconstruct (rho_e) images in a laboratory but is limited by the anisotropic probability of scatter, attenuation, noise and contaminating scatter (coherent and multiple scatter). These issues were investigated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of a first generation breast scatter enhanced CT (B-SECT) system. A reconstruction algorithm was developed for the B-SECT system and is based on a ring of detectors which eliminates the scatter dependence on the relative position of the scattering centre. The algorithm incorporates an attenuation correction based on the (mu) image and was tested against analytical and MC simulations. MC simulations were also used to quantify the dose per scan. The ring measures a fraction of the total single incoherent scatter which is proportional to ray integrals of (rho_e) and can be quantified even when electron binding is non negligible. The algorithm typically reconstructs accurate (rho_e) images using a single correction for attenuation but has the capability for multiple iterations if required. MC simulations show that the dose coefficients are similar to those of cone beam breast CT. Coherent and multiple scatter can not be directly related to (rho_e) and lead to capping artifacts and overestimated (rho_e) by a factor greater than 2. This issue can be addressed using empirical corrections based on the radiological path of the incident beam and result in (rho_e) images of breast soft tissue with 1% accuracy, 3% precision and a mean glandular dose of 4 mGy for a 3D scan. The reconstructed (rho_e) image was more accurate than the (rho_e) estimate derived from the (mu) image. An alternative correction based on the thickness of breast traversed by the beam provides an enhanced contrast image reflecting the breast scatter properties. These results demonstrate the feasibility of detecting small (rho_e) changes in the intact breast and shows that further experimental evaluation of this technique is warranted.

Radiobiological irradiation can be performed using appropriately collimated sealed source radioisotope machines such as Co-60 units, as well with X-ray tubes and linear accelerators. The increasing research interest in delivering organ-specific or whole body animal external irradiation has led to the introduction of dedicated X-ray units for research purposes. In this work, the proprieties of a kilovoltage X-ray biological irradiator, the Faxitron cabinet X-ray system model CP160, are investigated and dosimetrically characterized. Calculation formalisms for everyday use of the radiobiological irradiator in laboratory conditions, specifically for cell cultures and small animals total body irradiation, were developed following the AAPM TG-61 protocol. The quality of the X-ray beams generated by this irradiator was found to range between HVL 0.7 mm Cu for a 160 kVp 0.5 mm Cu filtered beam, and HVL 0.07 mm Al for a 20 kVp non-filtered beam. Our calculation formalisms for cell cultures and small animal irradiations were found to be valid within +/-5%.

Synchrotron light source are accelerating research and development and fueling innovation in a wide range of research disciplines and industries worldwide. The third-generation synchrotron radiation facilities such as Advanced Photon Source (APS), produce ultra-brilliant x-rays using insertion devices consisting mainly of undulators, which provide exciting opportunities for advanced research into materials, earth science, life science, and medicine. Using high brightness x-ray radiation with high spatial coherence, unique coherence-based experiments are now becoming possible: coherence imaging techniques such as phase contrast imaging, holography, and tomography, are under intensive development, opening up a range of new areas of investigation. At the same time some useful optical elements used in the synchrotron radiation system have been created rapidly. Crucial to the development of all these fields is some knowledge of the spatial coherence of the light produced by these sources. In other words, the characterization of spatial coherence is a high priority. / The aim of this project is to develop a theoretical and experimental program to allow the measurement of the spatial coherence of synchrotron radiation. A technique to measure the spatial coherence of x-rays from undulators is presented. The essence of the coherence measurement technique is based on the interpretation of a complex diffraction pattern. We measure the spatial coherence function of a 7.9 keV x-ray beam from an undulator at a third-generation synchrotron (APS) using a sophisticated diffracting aperture known as a Uniformly Redundant Array (URA). The URA was also used to measure the spatial coherence function for soft x-rays at the APS. When a traditional Young’s double-slit experiment is used to test the degree of coherence, the separations of the two-slit have to be changed repeatedly to full map the spatial coherence function. The URA is a complex aperture consisting of many slits, (or, for a two-dimensional array, pinholes), organized such that all possible slit separations occur, and do so with exactly the same frequency. One might regard the URA as able to simultaneously perform many Young’s experiments a precisely equal number of times across the full range of slit separations permitted by the overall size of the URA. Therefore one experiment using a one-dimensional (1D) URA can perform the equivalent of multiple double-slit experiments. The diffraction theory developed in this thesis a convenient theoretical basis for interpreting this diffraction pattern.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University (Canada), 1995. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-03, Section: B, page: 1872. Adviser: B. D. Gaulin.

Diss. Luleå : Luleå univ. / Härtill 9 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wollongong, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 111-114).

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.