Patent ID: 7499520

Claim:
An X-ray imaging apparatus, comprising: an X-ray interferometer including a splitting device that splits an incident X-ray beam into first and second X-ray beams, a reflecting device that reflects the first and second X-ray beams, and a combining device that combines the reflected first and second X-ray beams; a means for positioning a sample on the path of one of the first or second X-ray beams; a means for positioning a reference object, of which shape and internal density distribution are analogous to those of the sample and which is known, on the path of the other X-ray beam different from the X-ray beam in which the sample is positioned; a detector that detects an interference X-ray beam emitted from X-ray interferometer; and a processing unit that produces a sample image, which shows a phase shift in the interference X-ray beam caused by the sample, on the basis of an output of the detector.