Diagonal 4-inch ZnO Nanowire Cold Cathode Flat-panel X-ray Source: Preparation and Projection Imaging Properties

Uniform large-area flat-panel X-ray sources have potential applications in projection imaging. Achieving such a source has remained a challenge. A diagonal 4-in cold cathode flat-panel X-ray source device has been fabricated using ZnO nanowire field emitter arrays. A large-area uniform X-ray emission was produced, and projection imaging with a resolution of more than 5.0 lp/mm was realized. Its projection imaging resolution and its dependence on geometric imaging parameter settings were studied along with the imaging performance of the device. Simulations using the fast ray-tracing algorithm were performed, yielding results consistent with those from experiments. Optimal parameter settings for high-resolution projection imaging using the flat-panel X-ray source are presented. This study has significance in the application of this cold cathode flat-panel X-ray source in X-ray imaging.