High-resolution X-ray computed tomography for materials research

Nowadays, X-ray tube-based high-resolution CT systems are widely used in scientific research and industrial applications. But the potential, convenience and economy of these lab systems is often underestimated. The present paper shows the comparison of sophisticated conventional mu CT with synchrotron radiation-based mu CT (SR mu CT). The tube-based mu CT measurements were performed with a granite-based phoenix nanotom (R)-CT system (GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Wunstorf, Germany) equipped with a 180 kV, 15 W high-power nanofocus tube with tungsten or molybdenum targets. This X-ray tube opens a wide range of applications from scanning low absorbing samples in nanofocus mode with voxel sizes below 500 nm to scanning highly absorbing objects in the high power mode with focal spot and voxel sizes of a few microns. The SR mu CT measurements were carried out with the absorption contrast set-up at the beamlines W 2 and BW 2 at HASYLAB/DESY, operated by the GKSS Research Centre.