Written by: Franck P. Vidal
Published on:

Nikon XT H 225

Overview

The Nikon XT H 225 is a high-performance laboratory X-ray computed tomography system operated by the NXCT facilities at University College London, the University of Manchester, the University of Southampton, and Swansea University.

The system is capable of achieving a spatial resolution of approximately 3 μm in transmission mode while accommodating significantly larger specimens than most micro-CT systems, including objects up to 50 cm in size and weighing up to 15 kg.

Photograph of Nikon XT H 225

The scanner can operate up to 225 kV and 225 W and supports multiple target and filtration configurations. Acquisition times range from a few seconds to several hours, depending on the imaging requirements.

Beam Characteristics

Property Value
Source type Microfocus X-ray tube
Beam geometry Cone beam
Target material Tungsten (W)
Target angle 12°
Tube voltage range 30–225 kV
Tube current range 50–1000 μA
Maximum power 225 W

Scientific Applications

The Nikon XT H 225 is particularly suited to research involving:

  • Battery materials
  • Electrochemical devices
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Aerospace components
  • Geological materials
  • Composite materials
  • Cultural heritage objects
  • Biological specimens
  • Non-destructive testing
  • Multi-scale imaging studies

The combination of high spatial resolution and large specimen capacity makes the instrument particularly valuable for characterising samples ranging from individual components to full engineering assemblies.

Twin Fidelity

The Nikon XT H 225 digital twin is based on publicly available system specifications and reproduces the principal components and operating constraints of the instrument.

The implementation includes:

  • Tube voltages from 30 kV to 225 kV
  • Tube currents from 50 μA to 1000 μA
  • Tungsten target source model
  • Configurable beam filtration
  • Detector geometry and pixel pitch
  • CsI scintillator model
  • Mechanical positioning constraints
  • Variable magnification geometry

The twin provides a realistic representation of the acquisition geometry and operating parameter space of the Nikon XT H 225, supporting virtual experiment design, workflow development, training, and educational use.

X-ray Source

X-ray Tube

Property Value
Type Tungsten microfocus tube
Geometry Cone beam
Voltage range 30–225 kV
Current range 50–1000 μA
Target material W
Target angle 12°

Inherent Filtration

Material Thickness
Beryllium 0.5 mm
Carbon 4.0 mm

Available External Filtration

Material Available Thicknesses
Copper 0.1, 0.25, 0.55, 1.0 mm
Aluminium 0.1, 0.25, 0.55, 1.0 mm

The digital twin supports common filtration configurations used to optimise image contrast and reduce beam-hardening artefacts.

Detector Model

The digital twin includes a detector model representative of the experimental system.

Detector Characteristics

Property Value
Resolution 2028 × 2028 pixels
Pixel pitch 200 μm
Scintillator CsI
Scintillator thickness 600 μm
Line spread function Not modelled
Dark-field noise Not modelled

Spatial Resolution

Under optimal imaging conditions, the physical instrument can achieve a spatial resolution of approximately 3 μm in transmission mode.

Simulated Effects

  • Scintillator response
  • Polyenergetic spectrum generation
  • Source filtration effects
  • Geometrical magnification
  • Quantum noise (generic model)

Acquisition Geometry

Source Position

Parameter Value
Source-to-object distance 0–1000 mm

Detector Position

Parameter Value
Object-to-detector distance 0–1000 mm

The digital twin reproduces the mechanical constraints of the real system, allowing realistic adjustment of magnification and field-of-view.

Static Source-Detector Configuration

The instrument operates with a fixed source-detector separation while the specimen position can be varied within the available travel range to achieve the desired magnification.

Sample Capabilities

Property Value
Maximum specimen size ~50 cm
Maximum specimen mass ~15 kg
Acquisition duration Seconds to hours

These capabilities make the instrument suitable for both rapid inspection workflows and high-quality tomography experiments.

Why This Twin Is Unique

The Nikon XT H 225 digital twin provides a virtual representation of one of the most widely deployed laboratory XCT systems in academia, industry, and research facilities worldwide.

Unlike the synchrotron-based twins included in gVXR, the XT H 225 represents a platform that is accessible to a large community of XCT users, making the twin particularly relevant for education, training, workflow development, and reproducible research.

The implementation is based on manufacturer specifications and instrument operating characteristics, reproducing the geometry, X-ray source configuration, detector properties, filtration options, and mechanical constraints of the real system.

As a result, users can explore acquisition geometries, evaluate imaging protocols, develop reconstruction pipelines, and generate realistic synthetic datasets using a digital twin of a scanner that closely matches equipment available in many laboratories around the world.

Affiliations