A compact scanning soft X-ray microscope
Soft x-ray microscopes operating at wavelengths between 2.3 nm and 4.4 nm are capable of imaging wet biological cells with a resolution many times that of a visible light microscope. Several such soft x-ray microscopes have been constructed. However, with the exception of contact microscopes, all use synchrotrons as the source of soft x-ray radiation and Fresnel zone plates as the focusing optics. These synchrotron based microscopes are very successful but have the disadvantage of limited access. This dissertation reviews the construction and performance of a compact scanning soft x-ray microscope whose size and accessibility is comparable to that of an electron microscope. The microscope uses a high-brightness laser-produced plasma as the soft x-ray source and normal incidence multilayer-coated mirrors in a Schwarzschild configuration as the focusing optics. The microscope operates at a wavelength of 14 nm, has a spatial resolution of 0.5 {mu}m, and has a soft x-ray photon flux through the focus of 10{sup 4}-10{sup 5} s{sup {minus}1} when operated with only 170 mW of average laser power. The complete system, including the laser, fits on a single 4{prime} x 8{prime} optical table. The significant components of the compact microscope are the laser-produced plasma (LPP) source, the multilayer coatings, and the Schwarzschild objective. These components are reviewed, both with regard to their particular use in the current microscope and with regard to extending the microscope performance to higher resolution, higher speed, and operation at shorter wavelengths. Measurements of soft x-ray emission and debris emission from our present LPP source are presented and considerations given for an optimal LPP source. The LPP source was also used as a broadband soft x-ray source for measurement of normal incidence multilayer mirror reflectance in the 10-25 nm spectral region.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5734392
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
IMAGES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MICROSCOPES
MICROSCOPY
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
RESOLUTION
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION SOURCES
TESTING
X RADIATION