The Technology Department has successfully developed a productised and user-friendly camera system called HEXITEC-MHz, based on their novel colour X-ray detector technology.

The High Energy X-ray Imaging Technology (HEXITEC) camera system was originally developed by the Technology Department to enable colour imaging at high-X-ray energies. 

By measuring the number of X-rays  transmitted through, or emitted by, the sample and the energy of each photon, HEXITEC can produce a fully energy resolved X-ray spectrum for each camera pixel to give the chemical fingerprint of a sample. 

X-rays are commonly used in a variety of applications like medical imaging, material science and astronomy. 

However, conventional X-ray detectors on the market typically produce black-and-white intensity images, giving little information about a sample.

Colour X-ray imaging is a game-changer by providing images that give a detailed insight into a sample’s chemical composition and microstructure.

Development of HEXITEC-MHz

While HEXITEC has been used across a diverse range of application areas, such as materials science research at synchrotrons, some applications like computed tomography (CT) imaging were not possible due to the flux limitations.

In October 2022, thanks to £200k provided by the Knowledge Asset Grant Fund (KAGF), the Technology Department developed the next generation of technology: the HEXITEC-MHz camera.

Running at a continuous framerate of 1 million frames per second (1 MHz), HEXITEC-MHz can deliver high resolution spectroscopy at hard X-ray energies (1keV FWHM at 100keV) and X-ray fluxes of 106 photon/s/mm2 – no other detector system on the market has matched this capability.

Colour X-ray imaging can now be applied to applications that operate at higher fluxes, like medical imaging, non-destructive testing (NDT) and colour CT imaging.

 

The KAGF funding was used to translate the benchtop prototype HEXITEC-MHz test system into a productised and user-friendly camera, through hardware development and data processing optimisation.

The funding was secured by the HEXITEC team after winning a competition run by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT), to encourage the creation and development of new ideas. 

HEXITEC-MHZ is now ready for deployment in areas such as:

• NDT – this will enable scan times to be reduced from hours (using the original HEXITEC) to minutes, with added colour X-ray imaging benefits.

• Security scanning – detailed images of the chemical composition of a sample can be made, allowing for more accurate scans.

• Medical imaging – measure small changes in the absorption energy spectrum to identify and classify different types of tissue when studying biopsies.

Collaborations, Testing, and Next Steps

Last year, the HEXITEC team collaborated with Diamond Light Source (DLS) to characterise their camera on the B16 Test Beamline, where it took its first measurements at a 1 MHz framerate.

Recently, HEXITEC-MHz was installed at DLS again, this time on the I13-1 Beamline, to test the feasibility of a novel X-ray ptychography technique used to image small objects that are difficult to see even through traditional mi

croscopes. 

Once characterisation and testing are complete, the HEXITEC-MHz camera system will be ready for commercial sales.

 

Matt Wilson, Detector Development group leader, said:

“The KAGF has been a valuable and timely way to increase the technology readiness level of our unique HEXITEC-MHz X-ray detector system. The Innovation Team helped make the application and grant management process simple and have given us a focus to target the best routes to the market for our technology. 

The development team from all across Technology Department have been able to demonstrate continuous MHz data collection and processing on the fly, which is key to make high speed colour X-ray imaging seamless for the user. We have demonstration results with the Diamond Light Source, and we are now in a position to showcase our detector with our collaborators in science and industry.”

Interested in accessing the Knowledge Asset Grant Fund to support the development of your technology? Find more information on gov.uk.​

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​Written by Neelam Bhohi, STFC Innovation Analyst.​