Post-detection analysis for grating-based ultra-small angle X-ray scattering

Until recently, the hard X-ray, phase-sensitive imaging technique called grating interferometry was thought to provide information only in real space. However, by utilizing an alternative approach to data analysis we demonstrated that the angular resolved ultra-small angle X-ray scattering distribution can be retrieved from experimental data. Thus, reciprocal space information is accessible by grating interferometry in addition to real space. Naturally, the quality of the retrieved data strongly depends on the performance of the employed analysis procedure, which involves deconvolution of periodic and noisy data in this context. The aim of this article is to compare several deconvolution algorithms to retrieve the ultra-small angle X-ray scattering distribution in grating interferometry. We quantitatively compare the performance of three deconvolution procedures (i.e., Wiener, iterative Wiener and Lucy–Richardson) in case of realistically modeled, noisy and periodic input data. The simulations showed that the algorithm of Lucy–Richardson is the more reliable and more efficient as a function of the characteristics of the signals in the given context. The availability of a reliable data analysis procedure is essential for future developments in grating interferometry.