Coded Source Imaging for Neutrons and X-Rays

X-ray and neutron imaging techniques are powerful tools applied to a wide array of problems, like fuel cells imaging, residual stress analysis and detection of flaws in materials. These modern applications are increasingly demanding of high performing imaging devices. Coded source imaging (CSI) is a method applied both to X-ray and neutron imaging. It consists of a source composed of a pattern of many point-like sources. We present a description of the image formation process with coded sources, via encoding and decoding of data. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the CSI imager system is discussed, as well as its resolution and field-of-view. CSI is here presented in a formalism that allows a transposition to coded aperture imaging (CAI). The implications of the relationship of the two techniques in the design of a CSI system are addressed.