A Device for Ultrafast Three-Dimensional X-Ray Computed Tomography with a Scanned Electron Beam

A novel tomography device has been realised which enables ultrafast three-dimensional imaging with up to 1000 volume-frames per second. This is achieved by scanning an electron beam over a specially designed annular x-ray transparent target. Its height of 37 mm is also the maximum height of the tomography volume. The maximum experiment diameter is 75 mm. The design of the setup is similar to cone beam tomography which allows image reconstruction based on Feldkamp type algorithms to be used. Various phantom experiments were performed and proved good spatial resolution of up to 1.2 mm at a volume-frame rate of 250 s(-1). Eventually, the device was applied to image complex industrial two-phase flows as can be found e.g. in energy and process engineering.