High frame-rate X-ray imaging is a valuable tool for nondestructive testing, as well as for ballistic impact studies, in-flight projectile imaging, studies of exploding ordnances, and characterizing other high-speed phenomena. High frame rate imaging is inherently light-starved due to the short exposures needed to avoid motion-blur. This imposes stringent requirements on the performance of the individual system components. Each of the system components including the X-ray source, X-ray to light converter, imaging optics and readout must be designed to maximize the signal to noise ratio, and improve image resolution and contrast. Here we report on several high-speed X-ray imaging systems that we have developed for various applications. These systems provide imaging areas ranging from 7 cm × 7 cm to 1 m × 1 m, and frame rates ranging from 1000 fps to 150,000 fps. Each of these systems includes a bright, low-afterglow scintillator screen coupled to a highresolution sensor through a custom-developed high-efficiency optical system resulting in a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of better than 5:1. Application-specific requirements and the associated imaging system design and performance will be discussed.

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