PHASE-CONTRAST MICROTOMOGRAPHY WITH COHERENT HIGH-ENERGY SYNCHROTRON X-RAYS

Cross-sectional information on low electron density materials can be o btained by probing a sample with a 60 keV coherent synchrotron x-ray b eam in an in-line holography setup. Such objects are practically trans parent to high energy x rays and create a phase shift of the wave fron t only. Images of a 100 mu m diameter boron fiber were recorded in the extreme near field region, where contrast occurs only at interfaces b etween regions with different decrements of refractive index. Theoreti cal simulations are in good agreement with the measured intensities. I n a tomographic reconstruction the 15 mu m diameter core of the fiber is clearly visible, demonstrating the possibility of reconstructing th ree dimensional interfaces between low density materials. (C) 1996 Ame rican Institute of Physics.