High speed X-ray imaging camera using a structured CsI(Tl) scintillator

New third generation x-ray sources such as the Advanced Photon Source have created a need for a detector that can provide multiple frames of detailed x-ray images on the millisecond time:scale. Such detectors will prove inval uable in applications, such as time-resolved x-ray diffraction, x-ray micro tomography, as well as materials science applications like polymer processi ng. Currently, detectors capable of acquiring high resolution x-ray images at such high Speed do not exist, thus limiting progress in many of these im portant areas of research. To address these needs we have developed a prototype fast x-ray imaging sys tem, using a structured CsI(Tl) scintillator coupled to a fast-frame 1K x 1 K CCD. The system has been successfully employed to capture 1024 x 64 pixel x-ray images at a rate of 1000 frames per second (fps) with a 12 bit dynam ic range. The system exceeds the capabilities of the current high speed x-r ay imaging systems which typically operate at the rate of 30 fps. Fabrication of a large area detector is currently underway, using a microst ructured CsI(TI) scintillator coupled to a fast-frame CCD with a 3:1 fibero ptic taper. The camera will operate in a burst mode, acquiring 8 1K x 1K im ages at rates up to: 1000 frames per second with 12 bit dynamic range. High er image capture speeds can be accomplished by reducing the image area. Thi s paper will discuss the specific characteristics of the CsI(Tl) screens, e xperimental details of the prototype and the new design for the large area detector being developed specifically for time-resolved x-ray diffraction e xperiments in structural biology.