X-ray phase imaging with a laboratory source using selective reflection from a mirror

A novel approach for hard x-ray phase contrast imaging with a laboratory source is reported. The technique is based on total external reflection from the edge of a mirror, aligned to intercept only half of the incident beam. The mirror edge thus produces two beams. The refraction x-rays undergo when interacting with a sample placed before the mirror, causes relative intensity variations between direct and reflected beams. Quantitative phase contrast and pure absorption imaging are demonstrated using this method.