Getting better... - a photo on Flickriver

Getting better...

            I thought I'd be able to improve my X-Ray imaging capabilities, and it's starting to bear fruit. 

In the short term I'm probably going to adopt this little USB charger as my standard test target: it has a range of densities and some small details. Doubtless as things improve I'll want to try more challenging things, but this is good enough for now. I can easily identify many of the components in the charger now: there is a bunch of four components that look suspiciously like a bridge rectifier and, nearby, an electrolytic capacitor mounted above the board. I think I espy a PCB mounted fuse, as well. The large dense object near the centre is the inductor (presumably a high frequency transformer) and along the top one can perhaps make out the USB output sockets. The other components remain a mystery for now; they await higher resolution radiography.

As I suspected, the main limitation of my X-Ray camera is the low resolution image capture system. it comprises a decent resolution fluorescent screen beneath the sample compartment, under which is a mirror and an offset video camera. The video camera is simply that: a straightforward CCD of some kind in a box with a basic framestore.

The fluorescent screen shows some deterioration, presumably due to age, but I was surprised how bright it was. It's of comparable brightness to a mobile phone screen turned to near minimum. I was expecting it to be orders of magnitude dimmer and to use a photomultiplier, but that's not the case. 

So, my next move will be to ponder how best to use what I've got. The X-Ray source seems fine, although I presume it has a relatively large spot size (which, in conjunction with the limited throw distance, probably ultimately limits the system resolution). The screen is OK, at least for now, but the optics would definitely benefit from replacement. I was surprised to discover that the mirror is a normal second surface type (like a bathroom mirror) rather than a first surface (surface-silvered) type that one usually uses for optics. I presume the system resolution simply didn't require the improvements that a first surface mirror would bring. 

What to use as an image capture device? For this sample image I used a Nikon D3100 crudely laid on its back in a bit of spare space beside the built in camera. It was not easy to use and focusing was a right pain (I couldn't see what I was doing so it was all guesswork). The exposure was guesswork, too. Anyway, if I strip out the existing camera it'll make space for a replacement. What I need is something that has an appropriate field of view (not too hard), has a remote shutter and a way of grabbing the data off the memory card. I'll get thinking on that one. It doesn't need to be a DSLR. 

Comments are warmly welcomed.

Taken on: December 4, 2015

Tags:

X-ray

USB

experiment

wierdscience

weirdscience

science

radiography

Scanmax

Scanmax 20

test

guesswork

seethrough

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Sets appears in: • X-Ray

Groups appears in: • X-ray Pics • x-ray!

Camera: Nikon D3100, f/5.3, 1 sec, 45mm (=67mm), ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D3100
Aperture:	f/5.3
Exposure Time:	1
Focal Length:	45mm (35mm equivalent: 67mm)
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Shutter speed priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.1.01
Show full info

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