30 nm resolution x-ray imaging at 8keV using third order diffraction of a zone plate lens objective in a transmission microscope

Abstract

A hard x-ray transmission microscope with 30 nm spatial resolution has been developed employing the third diffraction order of a zone plate objective. The microscope utilizes a capillary type condenser with suitable surface figure to generate a hollow cone illumination which is matched in illumination range to the numerical aperture of the third order diffraction of a zone plate with an outmost zone width of 50 nm. Using a test sample of a 150 nm thick gold spoke pattern with finest half-pitch of 30 nm, the authors obtained x-ray images with 30 nm resolution at 8 keV x-ray energy.

Hard X-ray Phase-Contrast Tomographic Nanoimaging

“…The ideal illumination should be as homogeneous and as intense as possible and its numerical aperture should be matched to that of the objective lens in order to obtain optimum resolution. Condensing x-rays with Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) [4], tapered capillaries [5], mirrors [6] or combinations of these devices [7] is a common solution. These optics focus the beam into a Gaussian-shaped spot, normally smaller than the field of view of the microscope, which therefore requires the condenser to be scanned along the direction transverse to the beam to partially overcome this inhomogeneous illumination.…”

The Best of Both Worlds: 3D X-ray Microscopy with Ultra-high Resolution and a Large Field of View

“…During the past two decades, the development of advanced x-ray optical devices, such as Fresnel zone plates, coupled with the high brilliance of synchrotron x-ray sources, has vastly increased the resolution of x-ray imaging. Resolution for 2D imaging down to 12-30 nm has been recently reported [1][2][3][4]; meanwhile 3D resolution to 30-60 nm and below is also now widely available [5][6][7]. This nano-CT technique has demonstrated many advantages in studying the 3D structures of complex samples at various length scales and has satisfied applications in a wide range of fields, such as material science [8][9], cellular biology [10][11][12], solid oxide fuel cells [13][14], and environmental science [15][16][17].…”

X-ray microscopy

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