Multi-energy X-ray imaging enabled by ΔE-E telescope scintillator

In this work, we developed a true-color multi-energy X-ray imaging technology centered around multiple scintillators with a six-layer ΔE-E telescope configuration to achieve energy discrimination and substance identification capability, which cannot be accessed by conventional X-ray imaging technology. Using three distinct scintillator layers, X-rays with different energy bins are sequentially converted into trichromatic channels. A careful selection of three interlayer filters not only filters X-ray energy but also ensures that radioluminescence spans the entire visible spectrum without overlap. This allows easy and direct discrimination of substances with varying computed tomography numbers based on their corresponding color. Interestingly, the high optical transparency of the ΔE-E telescope scintillator enables it to achieve an impressive spatial imaging resolution of 22 lp mm⁻¹, surpassing that of the typical scintillators found on the X-ray imaging market. In a conceptual experiment of baggage inspections, complex objects were successfully imaged and differentiated without missing any intricate details.