"Showing a Fourier transform to a physics student generally produces the same reaction as showing a crucifix to Count Dracula"
James, J.F. A Student's Guide to Fourier Transforms 2nd Edt. Cambridge University Press 2002
I think I might like this book.
I've decided that I am not going to bother trying to "teach" you physics, because while I want to make what I am covering accessible to all, it's just not going to be possible, considering I am using a Master-diploma thesis to help me out with my own understanding of the topics involved... Instead I might just mention things of interest, trying not to be too technical.
I am really in awe at people who do science at this level. It's completely different to university. I am free to spend all day reading up on the areas I need to read up on, getting all the support/help I need. The way this differs from university is that there are no assessments or courses that get in the way of the stuff I want to be doing. And I genuinely want to what I need to do - that is read up on and understand the research.. because soon I am going to have to get on with my own.
So the research is in the field of lensless X-ray microscopy. The method that's really breaking ground is called PIE - Ptychographical Iterative Engine. Ptycography is a word from the Greek meaning "fold" - so it's an imaging technique that involves layering. Iterative means repetive - so there's something in the technique that is repeated over and over and built upon. Engine, well it's a means to an end. And that end is that PIE is a scanning coherent-diffraction technique. Coherent is what the light is. Diffraction produces patterns of an object which can be used to gather information about the material, and scanning means that the object doesn't have to be a finite size - it can be moved about, scanned to cover more of the surface. So if you're thinking what's up with a normal microscope instead, well the PIE microscopy works at a much higher resolution and the X-rays allow properties that you wouldn't otherwise have known about to be detected. It's not the only coherent X-ray diffraction microscopy method out there, but it overcomes loads of problems that such conventional methods suffer from - all because of the folding thing (ptychography).
That's as non technical as I can be really. I'm going to be studying some mathematical means to an end for the next little while. It's not so bad, it's a tool after all. I should have mentioned yesterday that cSAXS, the beamline I am on, it stands for coherent Small Angle X-Ray Scattering.
Oh the title - just an observation - there are hundreds of slugs and snails on the paths here when it's wet.
I think I might like this book.
I've decided that I am not going to bother trying to "teach" you physics, because while I want to make what I am covering accessible to all, it's just not going to be possible, considering I am using a Master-diploma thesis to help me out with my own understanding of the topics involved... Instead I might just mention things of interest, trying not to be too technical.
I am really in awe at people who do science at this level. It's completely different to university. I am free to spend all day reading up on the areas I need to read up on, getting all the support/help I need. The way this differs from university is that there are no assessments or courses that get in the way of the stuff I want to be doing. And I genuinely want to what I need to do - that is read up on and understand the research.. because soon I am going to have to get on with my own.
So the research is in the field of lensless X-ray microscopy. The method that's really breaking ground is called PIE - Ptychographical Iterative Engine. Ptycography is a word from the Greek meaning "fold" - so it's an imaging technique that involves layering. Iterative means repetive - so there's something in the technique that is repeated over and over and built upon. Engine, well it's a means to an end. And that end is that PIE is a scanning coherent-diffraction technique. Coherent is what the light is. Diffraction produces patterns of an object which can be used to gather information about the material, and scanning means that the object doesn't have to be a finite size - it can be moved about, scanned to cover more of the surface. So if you're thinking what's up with a normal microscope instead, well the PIE microscopy works at a much higher resolution and the X-rays allow properties that you wouldn't otherwise have known about to be detected. It's not the only coherent X-ray diffraction microscopy method out there, but it overcomes loads of problems that such conventional methods suffer from - all because of the folding thing (ptychography).
That's as non technical as I can be really. I'm going to be studying some mathematical means to an end for the next little while. It's not so bad, it's a tool after all. I should have mentioned yesterday that cSAXS, the beamline I am on, it stands for coherent Small Angle X-Ray Scattering.
Oh the title - just an observation - there are hundreds of slugs and snails on the paths here when it's wet.
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