Methods for estimating X-ray machine output through measurement and simulation

Journal Article · 06 February 2022 · Applied Radiation and Isotopes

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110125 · OSTI ID:1876884

Pfeifer, Michael P. ^[1]; Simerl, Nathanael ^[1]; Strahler, Ryan ^[1]; Casburn, Jack T. ^[1]; Porter, John ^[2]; McNeil, Walter J. ^[1]; Bahadori, Amir A.  ^[1]

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1. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (United States)
2. Honeywell FM&T, LLc, Kansas City, MO (United States)

We report ball grid arrays are increasingly being applied in the electronics industry and may require X-ray inspection to ensure the integrity and correct placement of solder pins. However, as the architecture of integrated circuits continues to narrow while simultaneously growing more complex, the risk of electronic failure due to radiation damage increases. While medical X-ray devices have been held to high standards and are repeatedly shown to be well characterized, devices used for electronic inspection are often lacking detailed characterization. This study presents unique methods to solve for important properties in X-ray inspection devices such as source to object distance and energy spectrum. This information can then be applied to Monte Carlo models to achieve better overall dose estimates to electronics, which will lead to superior manufactured products. Since X-ray devices can vary greatly in source characteristics, this work investigates spectral measurement and Monte Carlo representation of three X-ray devices. For a Philips SRO 33 100 medical diagnostic device, the spectral output followed expected trends given by the prediction software SpekCalc and Spektr. For the Dage XD7500NT, direct measurement showed a spectral artifact that through the use of Gafchromic films, was shown to be a contributing effect in the dose output. For the Rad Source RS1800, a high powered irradiation device, direct spectral measurement was not achieved. However, a Monte Carlo model using an assumed spectra was found to match ion chamber measurements to a high degree.

• Research Organization: Kansas City Nuclear Security Campus (KCNSC), Kansas City, MO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: NA0002839
• OSTI ID: 1876884
• Report Number(s): NSC-614-3757; ACI-1440548; CHE-1726332; CNS-1006860; EPS-0919443; EPS-1006860; P20GM113109
• Journal Information: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Journal Name: Applied Radiation and Isotopes Vol. 183; ISSN 0969-8043
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English