• De Geronimo, Gianluigi
• Paterson, David
• Li, Zhi Yong
• Kuczewski, Tony
• Borg, Stacey
• Hough, Rob
• Cleverley, James
• De Jonge, Martin
• Howard, Daryl
• Davey, Peter
• Donner, Erica
• Siddons, Pete
• Lombi, Enzo
• Dunn, Paul
• Moorhead, Gareth
• Jensen, Murray

Abstract

The Maia fluorescence detector array and imaging system [1,2], integrated into the X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (XFM) beamline at the Australian Synchrotron [3], collects scanned data-sets up to ~10000 lines for high definition SXRF element images up to ~100M pixels, or~100M voxel data-sets for 3D fluorescence tomography [4] and chemical state (XANES) imaging [5]. Maia combines a large solid-angle annular energy-dispersive 384 detector array, stage encoder and flux counter inputs and dedicated FPGA-based real-time event processor enabling high definition imaging and enhanced sensitivity to capture the complex hierarchical detail in natural samples and detect rare trace structures and place them in a detailed spatial context with minimum dose to minimize radiation damage issues.This paper provides an update on the Maia concept and reports on developments in methods for real-time spectral deconvolution of event data (at count rates above 10 M/s and transit times per pixel as short as 50 µs) to provide users with interactive, quantitative 2D element images on-line during data acquisition, methods for per pixel correction for dwell (stage velocity) and flux variation, support for chemical state and tomographic 3D imaging and off-line parallel processing methods for enhanced throughput. Maia performance and methods are illustrated using applications over the past 2 years involving rare fine-scale features and detail spanning 4 orders of magnitude from ~2 µm to ~20 mm in complex geological, environmental and biological samples.References: [1] D.P. Siddons et al., AIP Conference Proceedings 705, 953 (2004). [2] R. Kirkham et al., AIP Conference Proceedings 1234, 240-243 (2010). [3] D. Paterson et al., AIP Conference Proceedings 1365, 219 (2011). [4] E. Lombi et al., PLoS ONE 6(6): e20626 (2011), doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020626. [5] B.E. Etschmann et al., American Mineralogist 95, 884 (2010).

Topics

• tomography
• fluorescence microscopy