3D elemental mapping of materials and structures by laboratory scale spectroscopic X-ray tomography

Abstract

Using a microfocus X-ray tube and pixelated energy-resolving detector it is possible to measure the X-ray absorption spectrum of a material with high spatial resolution. Given sufficient energy resolution in the detector it is possible to detect and identify absorption edges which are characteristic to individual chemical elements. Using computed tomography the three dimensional (3D) internal elemental chemistry of an object can be reconstructed. The application of spectroscopic X-ray tomography is demonstrated by mapping distribution of heavy elements inside a mineralised ore sample. We correlate and validate this data with high resolution X-ray tomography and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data.