US Patent 9020103 Versatile beam scanner with fan beam

A versatile beam scanner for generating a far-field scanned pencil beam, and, alternatively, a far-field pencil beam. An angle selector limits the angular extent of an inner fan beam emitted by a source of penetrating radiation. The source and angle selector may be translated, along a direction parallel to a central axis of a multi-aperture unit, in such a manner as to generate a scanned far-field pencil beam, when rings of apertures are interposed between the source and an inspected target, or, alternatively, a far-field fan beam, when no ring of apertures is interposed.