Sandia team creates X-ray images of the future
07/01/2026
When German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in the late 1800s while experimenting with cathode ray tubes, it was a breakthrough that transformed science and medicine, so much so that the basic concept remains in use today. However, a team of researchers at Sandia National Laboratories believe they have found a better way, harnessing different metals and the colours of light they emit.“It is called colourised hyperspectral X-ray imaging with multi-metal targets, or CHXI-MMT for short,” said project lead Edward Jimenez, an optical engineer. Edward has been working with materials scientist Noelle Collins and electronics engineer Courtney Sovinec to create X-rays of the future.
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| Courtney Sovinec examines the multi-patterned target used to create a new type of X-ray image at Sandia National Laboratories |
“With this new technology, we are essentially going from the old way, which is black and white, to a whole new coloured world where we can better identify materials and defects of interest,” Noelle
said.
The team found they could achieve this using tiny, patterned samples of varied metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, gold, samarium and silver.
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| The traditional anode (left) and the multi-metal patterned anode (right) created by the Sandia National Laboratories team |
To understand the concept, one must understand the basics of X-ray creation. Traditional X-rays are generated by bombarding a single metal target, or anode, with high-energy electrons. These X-rays are channelled into a beam and directed at a subject or material. Denser tissues, such as bone, absorb more X-rays, while less dense tissues, such as muscles and organs, allow more to pass through. A detector records the pattern, creating an image.
While X-ray technology has advanced over time, the basic concept remains the same, which limits resolution and clarity.
The Sandia team set out to solve this limitation by making the X-ray focal spot smaller. The smaller the spot, the sharper the image.
This was achieved by designing an anode with metal dots patterned to be collectively smaller than the beam, effectively reducing the focal point.
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| CHXI-MMT scan of a Duracell CR123A lithium battery. The colourisation delineates between the different materials within the battery |
“We chose different metals for each dot,” Courtney said. “Each metal emits a particular ‘colour’ of X-ray light. When combined with an energy discriminating detector, we can count individual photons, which provide density information, and measure the energy of each photon. This allows us to characterise the elements of the sample.”
The result is colourised images with what the team calls revolutionary image clarity and a better understanding of the composition of an object.
“We get a more accurate representation of the shape and definition of that object, which is going to allow us to make unprecedented measurements and unprecedented observations,” Edward said.
The team sees this as a major advancement for X-ray technology with a wide range of uses, from airport security and quality control to non-destructive testing and advanced manufacturing.
www.sandia.gov
