Objective Phase contrast and scattering-based (dark-field) X-ray imaging can potentially revolutionize the radiological approach to medical imaging because they are intrinsically capable of detecting subtle differences in the electron density of a material and of measuring the effective integrated local small-angle scattering power generated by the microscopic density fluctuations in the specimen. Within the context of the ERC-Starting Grant PhaseX (310005) we deeply investigated and further developed gratings- based interferometry, a rapidly establishing phase sensitive technique. In particular, we generated seminal work towards the translation of phase contrast imaging into clinic with the world-wide first in-vitro phase-contrast mammographic investigation of whole breast mastectomies and the first reader study investigating potential clinical relevance of phase-contrast mammography. Grating fabrication is the main bottleneck so far preventing grating-based X-ray phase-contrast interferometry from being applied at high energies and large Field of View (FOV). With PhaseX, we addressed the fundamentals of grating fabrication in order to deliver high-quality diffraction gratings with high-aspect ratio. In particular, we explored unconventional fabrication techniques in order to go beyond the physical limits of the conventional approaches and we developed the idea of innovative technology at the basis of this ERC-PoC project (MAGIC). Among the tested wet etching techniques, Metal Assisted Chemical Etching (MACE) showed exceptional performances for fabrication of large area silicon gratings with high aspect ratio. The main idea of MAGIC is to use MACE for grating fabrication with characteristics that fulfil high energy and large FOV applications: we target the same quality with a competitive price in order to keep the ratio quality/cost in a favorable range with additional advantages of large FOV and possibility of serving a large market on a quicker way. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologybreast cancernatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsengineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imaging Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-PoC-2016 - ERC-Proof of Concept-2016 Call for proposal ERC-2016-PoC See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant Host institution EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Net EU contribution € 136 197,00 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich Switzerland See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 136 197,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Switzerland Net EU contribution € 136 197,00 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 136 197,00 PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT Switzerland Net EU contribution € 13 800,00 Address FORSCHUNGSTRASSE 111 5232 Villigen Psi See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Nordwestschweiz Aargau Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 13 800,00