Diamond I12 (JEEP)
Overview
The I12 (Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing, JEEP) beamline at Diamond Light Source is a high-energy synchrotron beamline designed for imaging, diffraction1, and scattering studies of large and dense specimens.
The beamline is particularly well suited to engineering materials, industrial components, geological samples, and in-situ experiments requiring high X-ray penetration.
1 Diffraction and scattering are not currently part of the gVXR digital twin.
Beam Characteristics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Energy range | 53–150 keV |
| Geometry | Parallel beam |
| Acquisition | Imaging, tomography, diffraction1, scattering1 |
| Beam type | Monochromatic |
Scientific Applications
The I12 beamline is particularly suited to research involving:
- Additive manufacturing
- Aerospace materials
- Engineering components
- Metals and alloys
- Composite materials
- Geological samples
- Energy materials
- Environmental processes
- In-situ and operando experiments
- Large and dense specimens
The combination of high photon energies and large sample environments makes I12 particularly valuable for studying specimens that would be challenging to image on conventional synchrotron beamlines.
Twin Fidelity
Unlike a purely geometrical representation, the I12 digital twin includes experimentally measured and calibrated parameters:
- Real beam energies
- Calibrated synchrotron flux measurements
- Detector resolution
- Scintillator response
- Detector gain
- Dark-field noise
- Source and detector positioning constraints
These models enable realistic simulation of image quality and noise, effects observed on the real instrument. This allows realistic simulation of I12 experiments before beamtime and supports reconstruction development, machine-learning dataset generation, detector optimisation, and scan protocol design.
X-ray Source
Monochromatic Beam
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Geometry | Parallel beam |
| Energy range | 53–150 keV |
| Flux model | Energy-dependent calibrated flux |
| Available calibration points | 70, 90, 110, 130 and 150 keV |
Detector Model
The digital twin includes a physics-based detector model calibrated from experimental measurements.
Detector Characteristics
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 2560 × 2160 pixels |
| Pixel pitch | 7.91 μm |
| Scintillator | Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ |
| Scintillator thickness | 170 μm |
| Dark-field noise | Included |
| Detector gain | Included |
| Line spread function | Not modelled |
Simulated Effects
- Detector gain
- Scintillator energy response
- Dark-current bias
- Dark-current noise
- Quantum noise through calibrated flux measurements
Acquisition Geometry
Source Position
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Source-to-object distance | 51 m |
Detector Position
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Object-to-detector distance | 1.25 mm – 1.37 m |
| Typical maximum used experimentally | ~300 mm |
This geometry enables both absorption-contrast and propagation-based phase-contrast imaging.
Why This Twin Is Unique
The I12 digital twin reproduces one of the highest-energy imaging beamlines available at Diamond Light Source.
Its large source-to-sample distance, high photon energies, and flexible detector positioning make it possible to model experiments involving large and highly attenuating specimens that are often beyond the capabilities of conventional laboratory XCT systems.
The twin incorporates experimentally calibrated flux measurements and realistic beamline geometry, enabling users to investigate acquisition strategies, phase-contrast imaging conditions, and reconstruction workflows before valuable synchrotron beamtime.
The twin is especially relevant to engineering, manufacturing, environmental, and geological applications requiring deep X-ray penetration.
Affiliations
- Facility: Diamond Light Source
- Beamline: I12 - Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
- Country: United Kingdom