NanoXCT Project Description

Within the past decades, advances in miniaturization from micro to nano-scale have had dramatic impacts on our lives. Consumer electronics, which once occupied large volumes, now fit in the palm of a hand. But nanotechnology does not only improve in electronics. Also material sciences, chemical engineering, or biology are strongly profiting from nanotechnology. The tremendous achievements in all of these areas would not have been possible without the material analytics in behind. Material analytics for nano-scale characterization currently covers destructive methods, surface inspection methods, or 2D methods.
To date it is not possible to get a comprehensive representation of a specimen including internal and external 3D-structure analysis as well as a chemical analysis without destroying the probe. In this respect, nano-scale material analytics is currently on the edge of a new era, which is targeted in the NanoXCT project. The project addresses the limitations of conventional techniques using 3D X-ray computed tomography, which allows for a non-destructive and fully three dimensional characterizations of specimens. In order to facilitate X-ray computed tomography at the nanometer scale, NanoXCT comprises a novel concept of an ultra-bright X-ray source in combination with a high precision focusing and emission system. Furthermore, a highly sensitive, photon counting wide field of view small pitch X-ray detector concept will be included. The concept is perfected by a high precision manipulation system, which allows for alternative scanning geometries as helical CT, and a suitable software environment for data processing and analysis.
NanoXCT links the activities of 10 partners from 7 European countries to design, develop and implement a compact X-ray computed tomography system for non-destructive characterization of nano materials and components.

Topic Description

Partial distributions of chemical elements in the test phantom using XRF [1].

Together with our company and research partners you will work on the creating and implementing the NanoXCT software demonstrator. This demonstrator will be based on an existing commercial visualization framework, which will be adapted and extended for NanoXCT. The methods and techniques to be developed for analysis and visualization of the NanoXCT data are found in the following domains (which your topic will also come from).

NanoXCT XRF data reconstruction

Dedicated reconstruction methods have to be developed which cooperate with the novel detector concept. To allow for a reconstruction of images which are larger than the memory size within reasonable time, concepts as multi-resolution bricking, GPU acceleration etc. will be employed.

Useful references:

• [1] Sasov et. al: A compact MicroCT / MicroXRF scanner for non-destructive 3D chemical analysis
• [2] Bruyndonckx et. al: Combined 3D micro XRF - micro CT imaging

What we offer...

• Interesting topics, applied research on real world problems
• Cooperation with our company and research partners
• Supervision and mentoring together with the CG Institute

What we expect...

• Good skills in C++ and software engineering
• Interested in scientific visualization
• Some experience in parallel programming, CUDA or OpenCL is advantageous

Additional Information

If you are interested, just contact us and we will find an interesting topic for you:

Christoph Heinzl
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria - Research & Development Ltd.
Stelzhamerstraße 23
4600 Wels/Austria
Tel : ++43-50804-44406
Fax : ++43-50804-944406
christoph.heinzl(at)fh-wels.at
http://www.3dct.at
http://www.fh-ooe.at

Artem Amirkhanov
artem@cg.tuwien.ac.at

• Computer Graphics Group
• Courses
• Projekte
• Data analysis and visualization for NanoXCT