Project description
For more compact, personalised X-ray equipment
X-rays are a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. The ultra-fast pulses from X-ray free-electron lasers can enable imaging of non periodic objects at near-atomic resolution. X-rays are an extremely valuable tool in numerous fields – from advanced physics and chemistry to the pharmaceutical industry. However, to make X-ray technology widely available, it must be cost effective, while the instruments utilised to perform academic and industrial research should be smaller and more personalised. Therefore, the EU-funded miniX project’s aim is to provide cost-efficient miniaturisation of a laser-based soft X-ray source designed for lay user operation.
Objective
X-rays are a prime analytical tool across a diverse range of areas in our modern economy—from fundamental physics and chemistry research, to the pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries. In particular, sources of ultrafast coherent x-rays are expected to have a transformative impact in all of these areas due to their capacity to enable the study of interactions between charge carriers and atoms in gases, liquids and solids, in real-time, and with element specificity. Ease of use, compactness and price will prove vital for any new X-ray technology looking to find use in industrial applications. “miniX” will address all of these issues with the miniaturization of a laser-based soft x-ray source, designed for lay user operation and at low cost.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantHost institution
08860 Castelldefels
Spain