X-ray microscope

Abstract: We present a laser plasma based x-ray microscope for the water window employing a high-average power laser system for plasma generation. At 90 W laser power a brightness of 7.4 x 1011 photons/(s x sr x μm2) was measured for the nitrogen Lyα line emission at 2.478 nm. Using a multilayer condenser mirror with 0.3 % reflectivity 106 photons/(μm2 x s) were obtained in the object plane. Microscopy performed at a laser power of 60 W resolves 40 nm lines with an exposure time of 60 s. The exposure time can be further reduced to 20 s by the use of new multilayer condenser optics and operating the laser at its full power of 130 W.

Abstract: A STANDARD method of X-ray analysis consists in measuring the strength of the diffracted beams corresponding to a series of reflections around a crystal zone (for example, the reflections with indices hol around the b axis), and then forming a double Fourier series with the amplitudes F as coefficients.

Abstract: An energy-tunable transmission hard x-ray microscope with close to 60 nm spatial resolution in three dimensions (3D) has been developed. With a cone beam illumination, a zone plate of 50 nm outmost zone width, a stable mechanical design, and software feedback, we obtained tomographic data sets that are close to 60 nm spatial resolution. Meanwhile, the element specific imaging was also obtained by a differential absorption contrast technique used below and above the absorption of the element. Examples of advanced intergraded circuit devices are used to demonstrate the element selectivity and spatial resolution in 3D of the microscope.