A consortium of UK companies and Universities, led by HALO X-ray Technologies Ltd, are pioneering a new high speed materials identification system using hollow X-ray beams. The molecular fingerprint of a scanned object is revealed by receiving and decoding a combination of X-ray halos. Each different material produces a unique halo signature. This exciting platform technology is designed to solve problems in security screening of luggage where, for example, it can be tuned to identify hidden materials including contraband drugs and explosives. Other applications include process control and manufacturing where the fine tuning of chemical properties can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.