Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An x-ray imaging system comprising:an x-ray source;an optical device for directing x-rays from the x-ray source, the optical device comprising at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays from the x-ray source towards a focal point in the form of a focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a detector aligned with the focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from of the optical device, the detector being an imaging detector;wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of an object using the detector when the object is located between the optical device and the detector, within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam provided by the optical device; andwherein the optical device facilitates image demagnification of the object with the object placed within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam before the focal point, and the detector located closer to the focal point than the object is to the focal point. 2. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein each at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises an optical surface, the optical surface being doubly-curved. 3. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optical crystals or a plurality of doubly-curved multilayer optics. 4. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises at least one symmetrical optic having equal input and output focal lengths or at least one asymmetrical optic having different input and output focal lengths. 5. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the x-ray source and the focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R, and wherein the plurality of doubly-curved optics provides focusing of x-rays from the source to the focal point, and the plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R. 6. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source is a low power x-ray source of less than 1,000 watts. 7. The x-ray imaging system of claim 1, wherein the object is a biological object. 8. An x-ray imaging system comprising:an x-ray source;an optical device for directing x-rays from the x-ray source, the optical device comprising at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays from the x-ray source towards a focal point in the form of a focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a detector aligned with the focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from of the optical device, the detector being an imaging detector;wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of an object using the detector when the object is located between the optical device and the detector, within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam provided by the optical device; andwherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of the object with the object located within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam before the focal point and the detector located between the object and the focal point. 9. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein each at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises an optical surface, the optical surface being doubly-curved. 10. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optical crystals or a plurality of doubly-curved multilayer optics. 11. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises at least one symmetrical optic having equal input and output focal lengths or at least one asymmetrical optic having different input and output focal lengths. 12. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the x-ray source and the focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R, and wherein the plurality of doubly-curved, optics provides focusing of x-rays from the source to the focal point, and the plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R. 13. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein the x-ray source is a low power x-ray source of less than 1,000 watts. 14. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8, wherein the object is a biological object. 15. An x-ray imaging system comprising:an x-ray source;an optical device for directing x-rays from the x-ray source, the optical device comprising at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays from the x-ray source towards a focal point in the form of a focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a detector aligned with the focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from of the optical device, the detector being an imaging detector;wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of an object using the detector when the object is located between the optical device and the detector, within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam provided by the optical device; andwherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of the object with the object located within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam before the focal point and the detector located after the focal point. 16. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of the object with the detector located closer to the focal point than the object is to the focal point. 17. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of the object with the object located closer to the focal point than the detector. 18. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein each at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises an optical surface, the optical surface being doubly-curved. 19. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optical crystals or a plurality of doubly-curved multilayer optics. 20. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises at least one symmetrical optic having equal input and output focal lengths or at least one asymmetrical optic having different input and output focal lengths. 21. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the x-ray source and the focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R, and wherein the plurality of doubly-curved optics provides focusing of x-rays from the source to the focal point, and the plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R. 22. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the x-ray source is a low power x-ray source of less than 1,000 watts. 23. The x-ray imaging system of claim 15, wherein the object is a biological object. 24. An x-ray imaging system comprising:an x-ray source;an optical device for directing x-rays from the x-ray source, the optical device comprising at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays from the x-ray source towards a focal point in the form of a focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a detector aligned with the focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from of the optical device, the detector being an imaging detector;wherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of an object using the detector when the object is located between the optical device and the detector, within the focused monochromatic x-ray beam provided by the optical device; andwherein the optical device facilitates radiographic imaging of the object with the object and the detector located after the focal point. 25. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein each at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises an optical surface, the optical surface being doubly-curved. 26. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic of the optical device comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optical crystals or a plurality of doubly-curved multilayer optics. 27. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises at least one symmetrical optic having equal input and output focal lengths or at least one asymmetrical optic having different input and output focal lengths. 28. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein the at least one point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the x-ray source and the focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R, and wherein the plurality of doubly-curved optics provides, focusing of x-rays from the source to the focal point, and the plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R. 29. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein the x-ray source is a low power x-ray source of less than 1,000 watts. 30. The x-ray imaging system of claim 24, wherein the object is a biological object. 31. An x-ray imaging system comprising:an x-ray source;a first optical device comprising at least one first point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays from the x-ray source towards a first focal point in the form of a first focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a second optical device aligned with the first focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from the first optical device, the second optical device comprising at least one second point-focusing, curved monochromating optic for directing x-rays of the first focused monochromatic x-ray beam towards a second focal point in the form of a second focused monochromatic x-ray beam;a detector aligned with the second focused monochromatic x-ray beam directed from the second optical device, the detector being an imaging detector; andwherein the first and second optical devices facilitate x-ray imaging of an object using the detector when the object is located between the first optical device and the second optical device within the first focused monochromatic x-ray beam. 32. The x-ray imaging device of claim 31, wherein the at least one first point-focusing, curved monochromating optic and the at least one second point-focusing, curved monochromating optic each comprises an optical surface, the optical surface being doubly-curved. 33. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein the at least one first point-focusing, curved monochromating optic and the at least one second point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprise at least one of a plurality of doubly-curved optical crystals and a plurality of doubly-curved multilayer optics. 34. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein the at least one first point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a first plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the x-ray source and the first focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R, and wherein the first plurality of doubly-curved optics provides focusing of x-rays from the source to the first focal point, and wherein the first plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R, and wherein the at least one second point-focusing, curved monochromating optic comprises a second plurality of doubly-curved optics positioned with the first focal point and the second focal point to define at least one Rowland circle of radius R′, and wherein the second plurality of doubly-curved optics provides focusing of x-rays from the first focal point, and wherein the second plurality of doubly-curved optics have a surface profile radius in the plane of the Rowland circle different from the radius R′. 35. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein the first and second optical devices facilitate imaging of the object using the detector when the object is located between the first focal point and the second optical device within the first focused monochromatic x-ray beam. 36. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein the first and second optical devices facilitate imaging of the object using the detector when the object is located between the first optical device and the first focal point within the first focused monochromatic x-ray beam. 37. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first and second optical devices facilitates refractive index imaging of the object. 38. The x-ray imaging system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first and second optical devices facilitates polarized beam imaging of the object.