Monte Carlo simulation of photon scattering in x-ray absorption imaging of high-intensity discharge lamps

Published

May 26, 2010

Author(s)

John J. Curry

Abstract

Coherent and incoherent scattering of x rays during x-ray absorption imaging of high-intensity discharge lamps have been studied with Monte Carlo simulations developed specifically for this purpose. The Monte Carlo code is described and some initial results are discussed. Coherent scattering, because of its angular concentration in the forward direction, is found to be the most significant scattering mechanism. Incoherent scattering, although comparably strong, is not as significant because it results primarily in photons being scattered in the rearward direction and therefore out of the detector. Coherent scattering interferes with the detected absorption signal because the path of a scattered photon through the object to be imaged is unknown. Although scattering is usually a small effect, it can be significant in regions of high contrast. At the discharge/wall interface, as many as 50 \% of the detected photons are scattered photons. The effect of scattering on analysis of Hg distributions has not yet been quantified.

Citation

Journal of Physics D-Applied Physics

Volume

43

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

atomic, diagnostic, high-intensity discharge, lighting, physics, plasma, scattering, x-ray

Citation

Curry, J. (2010), Monte Carlo simulation of photon scattering in x-ray absorption imaging of high-intensity discharge lamps, Journal of Physics D-Applied Physics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=903620 (Accessed April 18, 2024)