Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “fly scan”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records

Sub-10 second fly-scan nano-tomography using machine learning

Abstract X-ray computed tomography is a versatile technique for 3D structure characterization. However, conventional reconstruction algorithms require that the sample not change throughout the scan, and the timescale of sample dynamics must be longer than the data acquisition time to fulfill the stable sample requirement. Meanwhile, concerns about X-ray-induced parasite reaction and sample damage have driven research efforts to reduce beam dosage. Here, we report a machine-learning-based image processing method that can significantly reduce data acquisition time and X-ray dose, outperforming conventional approaches like Filtered-Back Projection, maximum-likelihood, and model-based maximum-a-posteriori probability. Applying machine learning, we achieve ultrafast nano-tomography with sub-10 second data acquisition time and sub-50 nm pixel resolution in a transmission X-ray microscope. We apply our algorithm to study dynamic morphology changes in a lithium-ion battery cathode under a heating rate of 50 o C min −1 , revealing crack self-healing during thermal annealing. The proposed method can be applied to various tomography modalities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A versatile high-speed x-ray microscope for sub-10 nm imaging

We have developed a next-generation scanning x-ray microscope RASMI (RApid Scanning Microscopy Instrument) for high-throughput tomographic imaging. RASMI is installed at the hard x-ray nanoprobe beamline at NSLS-II and is capable of manipulating 1D multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) and 2D optics (both zone plates and monolithically assembled 2D MLLs). The sample scanning stage utilizes line-focusing interferometry as an encoder while performing fly-scanning data acquisition. The system can be configured for both position- and time-triggering modes during fly-scanning. The microscope demonstrated a detector-limited data acquisition rate of 1.25 kHz during ptychography measurements. The initial x-ray results yielded a sample-limited resolution of ∼6 nm in 2D. RASMI can be adopted for in-vacuum applications and is a foundation for the next-generation scanning microscopy systems to be developed and commissioned at NSLS-II.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

CodEx: A Modular Framework for Joint Temporal De-Blurring and Tomographic Reconstruction

In many computed tomography (CT) imaging applications, it is important to rapidly collect data from an object that is moving or changing with time. Tomographic acquisition is generally assumed to be step-and-shoot, where the object is rotated to each desired angle, and a view is taken. However, step-and-shoot acquisition is slow and can waste photons, so in practice fly-scanning is done where the object is continuously rotated while collecting data. However, this can result in motion-blurred views and consequently reconstructions with severe motion artifacts. In this paper, we introduce CodEx, a modular framework for joint de-blurring and tomographic reconstruction that can effectively invert the motion blur introduced in sparse view fly-scanning. The method is a synergistic combination of a novel acquisition method with a novel non-convex Bayesian reconstruction algorithm. CodEx works by encoding the acquisition with a known binary code that the reconstruction algorithm then inverts. Using a well chosen binary code to encode the measurements can improve the accuracy of the inversion process. The CodEx reconstruction method uses the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) to split the inverse problem into iterative deblurring and reconstruction sub-problems, making reconstruction practical to implement. Here we present reconstruction results on both simulated and binned experimental data to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

42 ENGINEERING↗

High precision real-time insertion device and monochromator synchronization at NSLS-II

We report that insertion devices have become the dominant photon source at synchrotron and free electron laser light source facilities the world over. Undulators, characterized by their small deflection parameter, exhibit a high degree of constructive interference in photon production from high energy charged particle beams leading to very high photon rates at specific harmonics of the fundamental frequency with relatively narrow spectral widths. Spectroscopic measurements of interest typically span several of these harmonic widths, which requires precision adjustment of an undulator’s magnetic gap to maintain peak flux within the much narrower bandwidth of a beamline monochromator at the desired energy. High precision insertion device controls are developed at NSLS-II including real-time linked control of monochromator hardware allowing for fast, high precision, hardware triggered, spectroscopic measurements. Furthermore, this fast fly scan method is described, compared statistically for self consistency, and shown to be far superior in both efficiency and accuracy as compared to standard step scan measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Achieving high spatial resolution in a large field-of-view using lensless x-ray imaging

X-ray ptychography, a powerful scanning lensless imaging technique, has become attractive for nondestructively imaging internal structures at nanoscale. Stage positioning overhead in conventional step-scan ptychography is one of the limiting factors on the imaging throughput. In this work, we demonstrate the use of advanced fly scan ptychography to achieve high-resolution ptychograms of modern integrated circuits on a large field-of-view at millimeter scale. By completely removing stage overheads between scan points, the imaging time for millimeter-size sample can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, we implement the orthogonal probe relaxation technique to overcome the variation of illumination across the large scan area as well as local vibrations. The capability of x-ray ptychography shown here is broadly applicable for various studies, which requires both high spatial resolution and large scan area.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Scanning structural mapping at the Life Science X-ray Scattering Beamline

This work describes the instrumentation and software for microbeam scattering and structural mapping at the Life Science X-ray Scattering (LiX) beamline at NSLS-II. Using a two-stage focusing scheme, an adjustable beam size between a few micrometres and a fraction of a millimetre is produced at the sample position. Scattering data at small and wide angles are collected simultaneously on multiple Pilatus detectors. A recent addition of an in-vacuum Pilatus 900k detector, with the detector modules arranged in a C-shaped configuration, has improved the azimuthal angle coverage in the wide-angle data. As an option, fluorescence data can be collected simultaneously. Fly scans have been implemented to minimize the time interval between scattering patterns and to avoid unnecessary radiation damage to the sample. For weakly scattering samples, an in-vacuum sample environment has been developed here to minimize background scattering. Data processing for these measurements is highly sample-specific. To establish a generalized data process workflow, first the data are reduced to reciprocal coordinates at the time of data collection. The users can then quantify features of their choosing from these intermediate data and construct structural maps. As examples, results from in-vacuum mapping of onion epidermal cell walls and 2D tomographic sectioning of an intact poplar stem are presented.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Complete Strain Mapping of Nanosheets of Tantalum Disulfide

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) materials hold promise for future electronics because of their unique band structuresthat result in electronic and mechanical properties sensitive to crystal strains in all three dimensions. Quantifying crystal strain is a prerequisite to correlating it with the performance of the device, and calls for high resolution but spatially resolved rapid characterization methods. Here we show that using fly-scan nano X-ray diffraction we can accomplish a tensile strain sensitivity below 0.001% with a spatial resolution of better than 80 nm over a spatial extent of 100 µm on quasi 2D flakes of 1T-TaS2. Coherent diffraction patterns were collected from a ~100 nm thick sheet of 1T-TaS2 by scanning 12keV focused X-ray beam across and rotating the sample. We demonstrate that the strain distribution around micron and sub-micron sized ‘bubbles’ that are present in the sample may be reconstructed from these images. The experiments use state of the art synchrotron instrumentation, and will allow rapid and non-intrusive strain mapping of thin film samples and electronic devices based on quasi 2D materials.

nano X-ray diffraction↗

Embedded EPICS server for PowerPMAC motion controllers

An embedded server layer of Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) for PowerPMAC motion controllers has been developed and deployed at two undulator beamlines of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the National Cancer Institute (GM/CA) Structural Biology Facility at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). This compact, open source solution makes the power and versatility of PowerPMAC motion controls directly accessible to distributed EPICS clients. At GM/CA the system controls about 200 servo and stepper motors — both encoded and unencoded — and multiple digital and analog I/O accessories. The server stack comprises two sublayers: a lower-level driver and database that communicates directly with PowerPMAC, and a facility-specific soft sublayer built on top. The paper describes installing EPICS on PowerPMAC, the implementation of both layers and client examples, including on-the-fly scanning.

EPICS↗

Fast automated energy changes at synchrotron radiation beamlines equipped with transfocator or focusing mirrors

Algorithms and procedures to fully automate retuning of synchrotron radiation beamlines over wide energy ranges are discussed. The discussion is based on the implementation at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the National Cancer Institute Structural Biology Facility at the Advanced Photon Source. When a user selects a new beamline energy, software synchronously controls the beamline monochromator and undulator to maintain the X-ray beam flux after the monochromator, preserves beam attenuation by determining a new set of attenuator foils, changes, as needed, mirror reflecting stripes and the undulator harmonic, preserves beam focal distance of compound refractive lens focusing by changing the In/Out combination of lenses in the transfocator, and, finally, restores beam position at the sample by on-the-fly scanning of either the Kirkpatrick–Baez mirror angles or the transfocator up/down and inboard/outboard positions. The sample is protected from radiation damage by automatically moving it out of the beam during the energy change and optimization.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

ultra_fast_tomo

It is a pre-trained model for processing blurred and noisy tomographic reconstruction taken from a fast fly-scan.

Ge, Mingyuan↗

Adorym: a multi-platform generic X-ray image reconstruction framework based on automatic differentiation

We describe and demonstrate an optimization-based X-ray image reconstruction framework called Adorym. Our framework provides a generic forward model, allowing one code framework to be used for a wide range of imaging methods ranging from near-field holography to fly-scan ptychographic tomography. By using automatic differentiation for optimization, Adorym has the flexibility to refine experimental parameters including probe positions, multiple hologram alignment, and object tilts. It is written with strong support for parallel processing, allowing large datasets to be processed on high-performance computing systems. We demonstrate its use on several experimental datasets to show improved image quality through parameter refinement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electrooptical scanning of film

Scan-in scan-out flying spot scanning system recognizes three different levels of transmissivity within a frame. It selectively acts on these levels either to intensify the illumination or to extend the duration of the illuminating spot to any picture element. Thus it improves the ratio of signal to tube noise in the cameras output.

Billingsley, F. C.↗

Mechanical Design Progress of the In Situ Nanoprobe Instrument for APS-U

The In Situ Nanoprobe (ISN, 19-ID) beamline will be a new best-in-class long beamline to be constructed as part of the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade (APS-U) project [1, 2]. To achieve long working distance at high spatial resolution, the ISN instrument will be positioned 210 m downstream of the x-ray source, in a dedicated satellite building, currently under construction [3]. The ISN instrument will use a nano-focusing Kirkpatrick-Baez (K-B) mirror system, which will focus hard x-rays to a focal spot as small as 20 nm, with a large working distance of 61 mm. The large working distance provides space for various in situ sample cells for x-ray fluorescence tomography and ptychographic 3D imaging, allows the use of a separate, independent vacuum chambers for the optics and sample, and provides the flexibility to run experiments in vacuum or at ambient pressure. A consequence of the small spot size and large working distance are stringent requirements for high angular stability of the K-B mirrors (5 nrad V-mirror and 16 nrad H-mirror) and high relative stability be-tween focus spot and sample (4 nmRMS). Additional features include fly-scanning up to 2 kg mass, sample plus in situ cell, at 1 mm/s in vertical and/or horizontal directions over an area of 10 mm x 10 mm. Environmental capabili-ties will include heating and cooling, flow of fluids and applied fields, as required for electrochemistry and flow of gases at high temperature for catalysis. To achieve these capabilities and precise requirements we have used precision engineering fundamentals to guide the design process.

Kearney, Steven P.↗

Results of a laboratory experiment that tests rotating unbalanced-mass devices for scanning gimbaled payloads and free-flying spacecraft

Rotating unbalanced-mass (RUM) devices are a new way to scan space-based, balloon-borne, and ground-based gimbaled payloads, like x-ray and gamma-ray telescopes. They can also be used to scan free-flying spacecraft. Circular scans, linear scans, and raster scans can be generated. A pair of RUM devices generates the basic scan motion and an auxiliary control system using torque motors, control moment gyros, or reaction wheels keeps the scan centered on the target and produces some complementary motion for raster scanning. Previous analyses and simulation results show that this approach offers significant power savings compared to scanning only with the auxiliary control system, especially with large payloads and high scan frequencies. However, these claims have never been proven until now. This paper describes a laboratory experiment which tests the concept of scanning a gimbaled payload with RUM devices. A description of the experiment is given and test results that prove the concept are presented. The test results are compared with those from a computer simulation model of the experiment and the differences are discussed.

Alhorn, D. C.↗

Rotating Unbalanced-Mass devices for scanning: Results from the proof-of-concept test

Rotating unbalanced-mass (RUM) devices are a new way to scan space-based, balloon-borne, and ground-based gimbaled payloads, like x-ray and gamma-ray telescopes. They can also be used to scan free-flying spacecraft. Circular scans, linear scans, and raster scans can be generated. A pair of RUM devices generates the basic scan motion and an auxiliary control system using torque motors, control moment gyros, or reaction wheels keeps the scan centered on the target and produces some complementary motion for raster scanning. Previous analyses and simulation results show that this approach offers significant power savings compared to scanning only with the auxiliary control system, especially with large payloads and high scan frequencies. However, these claims have never been proven until now. This paper describes a laboratory experiment which tests the concept of scanning a gimbaled payload with RUM devices. The test results are compared with those from a computer simulation model of the experiment and the differences are discussed.

Alhorn, Dean C.↗

Scanning System Acquires Data At Designated Coordinates

Firmware in computer-controlled electromechanical scanning apparatus enables acquisition of data "on the fly" - as scanning head passes through designated positions on plane. Scanning motion steady, no sacrifice of positional accuracy. Control system has "Interrupt" structure commanding central processing unit to enter data-acquisition routine when x-y table reaches designated measurement positions. Adaptable to systems required to take data, or perform machining operations at designated positions.

Chern, E. James↗

Rotating-unbalanced-mass Devices for Scanning Balloon-borne Experiments, Free-flying Spacecraft, and Space Shuttle/space Station Experiments

A new method is presented for scanning balloon-borne experiments, free-flying spacecraft, and gimballed experiments mounted to the space shuttle or the space station. It uses rotating-unbalanced-mass (RUM) devices for generating circular, line, or raster scan patterns and an auxiliary control system for target acquisition, keeping the scan centered on the target, and producing complementary motion for raster scanning. It is ideal for applications where the only possible way to accomplish the required scan is to physically scan the entire experiment or spacecraft as in x ray and gamma ray experiments. In such cases, this new method should have advantages over prior methods in terms of either power, weight, cost, performance, stability, or a combination of these.

Polites, Michael E.↗