Development of a high-energy-resolution EDXRD system with a CdTe detector for security inspection

Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) has great potential for application in the field of security inspection. On the basis of the Bragg’s diffraction law, an EDXRD system simulation model was established. Using this model, the effect of geometrical parameters on the energy resolution and collecting efficiency was calculated. Based on the analysis data, an optimized EDXRD system with high energy resolution and sensitivity was constructed. The experimental results demonstrated that the system’s energy resolution was approximately 5% with an integration time of 3 s. For concealed samples, more sampling time was needed because of the stronger signal attenuation; however, an effective spectrum could still be obtained in less than 10 s. The system can be used to identify hidden contraband accurately, especially in specific regions of interest detected by imaging technology.