From optical to X-ray ghost imaging

Recent advances in ghost imaging techniques and X-ray sources such as synchrotrons and, more recently, X-ray free-electron lasers (XFEL) have made X-ray ghost imaging a growing topic of interest. One specific type of ghost imaging utilizes thermal radiation and the measurement of intensity fluctuation correlation to form a true image without the need of a lens. This technique allows for much higher resolution than traditional X-ray imaging for a mesoscopic or even a microscopic object. In addition to this benefit of not requiring a lens, a surprising experiment has shown that, when set up correctly, this type of ghost imaging can provide clear images through the measurement of intensity fluctuation correlation when traditional images through measurements of intensity are blurred due to optical turbulence and vibrations. This turbulence-free technique will help maintain the high resolution of X-ray ghost imaging. How is an image formed from fluctuations in light? And what makes it turbulence-free? Using the concept of two-photon interference, this article provides an introduction to these fundamentally interesting concepts and X-ray ghost imaging.