Reduction of Beam Hardening Artifacts in X-ray Microtomography Data

Abstract

Beam hardening can cause artifacts in a computer tomogram. These artifacts become manifest in a blur of boundaries between components of a part or in an inhomogeneously or gradient mapping of homogeneous phases. Defects in the specimen may be overlooked, therefore. The outcome of beam hardening is explained on a real specimen in fig. 1a. The specimen consists of softly soldered tubes of copper and red bronze. Such soft soldering is now demanded for drinking water pipes by legislation. In a radioscopic image in fig. 1b the poor quality of the soldering seam can be recognized as structured areas.