Simple X-Ray Dark- and Bright-Field Imaging Using Achromatic Laue Optics

X-ray dark-field and bright-field imaging in the Laue geometry has been successfully demonstrated. Using a Bragg-case asymmetric monochromator that produces an X-ray beam with a 0.3 µrad divergence incident onto an object and a Laue geometry analyzer that can simultaneously provide dark-field imaging (DFI) and bright-field imaging (BFI). The DFI has only an X-ray refraction component on the object without illumination, while the BFI has reasonable illumination. This was achieved by a 1.075 mm thick silicon analyzer with 4, 4, 0 diffraction at 35 keV X-ray photon energy. An image of an insect embedded in polymethylmethacrylate, which can not be visualized by absorption, has been obtained.