Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons in an X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces; andc) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam in a preselected energy range are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising moving the target such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 2. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons in an X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces; andc) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam in a preselected enemy range are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising rotating the crystal lens about an axis such that a plurality of the diffracted photons in the preselected energy range scan at least a portion of a target surface. 3. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons in an X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces; andc) a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam in a preselected energy range are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising means for moving the target such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 4. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons in an X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces; andc) a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam in a preselected energy range are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising means for rotating the crystal lens about an axis such that a plurality of the diffracted photons in the preselected energy range scan at least a portion of a target surface. 5. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said lens at a preselected angle of incidence; andc) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted by the lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising moving the target such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 6. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said lens at a preselected angle of incidence; andc) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted by the lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising rotating the crystal lens about an axis substantially parallel to the photon beam such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 7. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said lens at a preselected angle of incidence; andc) a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted by the lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising means for moving the target such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 8. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said lens at a preselected angle of incidence; andc) a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted by the lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target;further comprising means for rotating the crystal lens about an axis substantially parallel to the photon beam such that a plurality of the diffracted photons scan at least a portion of a target surface. 9. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons comprising photons at a range of X-ray energies including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces;c) locating at least one low energy absorber and at least one high energy absorber at predetermined locations relative to the crystal lens such that photons from the photon source below a preselected first energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on the at least one low energy absorber, and photons from the photon source above a preselected second energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on said at least one high energy absorber; andd) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam between the preselected first energy and the preselected second energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the diffraction is Laue diffraction. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the crystal surfaces are composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of carbon, copper, silicon and germanium. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the crystal surfaces are composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of silver and gold. 13. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons comprising photons at a range of X-ray energies including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a crystal lens comprised of a plurality of lens surfaces arranged in at least one concentric circle, at a predetermined location relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said plurality of lens surfaces at at least one preselected angle of incidence to the surfaces;c) at least one low energy absorber and at least one high energy absorber at predetermined locations relative to the crystal lens such that photons from the photon source below a preselected first energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on the at least one low energy absorber, and photons from the photon source above a preselected second energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on said at least one high energy absorber; andd) a target at a predetermined location relative to the crystal lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam between the preselected first energy and the preselected second energy are diffracted by the lens surfaces to be incident on a preselected portion of the target. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the diffraction is Laue diffraction. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the crystal surfaces are composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of carbon, copper, silicon and germanium. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the crystal surfaces are composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of silver and gold. 17. A method for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) providing a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) locating a first crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said first lens at a first preselected angle of incidence;c) locating a second crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the first lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted from the first lens to be incident on said second lens at a second preselected angle of incidence; andd) locating a target at a predetermined location relative to the second lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam diffracted by the first lens are diffracted by the second lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the diffraction is Laue diffraction. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the diffraction is Bragg diffraction. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the crystal lens is composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of carbon, copper, silicon and germanium. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the crystal lens is composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of silver and gold. 22. A system for illuminating a target to analyze its contents, comprising:a) a source of photons in a preselected X-ray energy range including photons of energy greater than 100 keV;b) a first crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the photon source such that a beam of photons from the photon source is incident on said first lens at a first preselected angle of incidence;c) a second crystal lens at a predetermined location and orientation relative to the first lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam are diffracted from the first lens to be incident on said second lens at a second preselected angle of incidence; andd) a target at a predetermined location relative to the second lens such that a plurality of photons from the photon beam diffracted by the first lens are diffracted by the second lens to be incident on a preselected portion of the target. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the diffraction is Laue diffraction. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein the diffraction is Bragg diffraction. 25. The system of claim 22, wherein the crystal lens is composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of carbon, copper, silicon and germanium. 26. The method of claim 22, wherein the crystal lens is composed of an element chosen from a group consisting of silver and gold.