Holographic imaging with a nanometer resolution using compact table-top EUV laser

Holographic 2D/3D imaging with nanometer resolution using short wavelength extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light is presented in this paper. Gabor’s holograms were recorded with a highly coherent table top EUV laser with different numerical apertures demonstrating ultimately a spatial resolution of 46+/−2 nm, comparable with the illumination wavelength, in 2D holographic imaging. Three dimensional images were obtained from a single high numerical aperture hologram recorded in a high resolution photoresist and numerically reconstructed at different image planes, allowing numerical optical sectioning with a lateral resolution ∼170 nm and depth resolution of 2.4 μm. The holograms were recorded in a high resolution photoresist and digitized with an atomic force microscope. To assess the spatial resolution of the numerical reconstructions of the holograms a correlation method was used. The algorithm allows for simultaneous estimation of the resolution and the feature size of the image under analysis.     

Single order soft X-ray diffraction with quasi-random radius pinhole array spectroscopic photon sieves

A novel single order diffraction grating in the soft X-ray region, called quasi-random radius pinhole array spectro- scopic photon sieves （QRSPS）, is proposed in this paper. This new grating is composed of pinholes on a substrate, whose radii are quasi-random, while their centers are regular. Analysis proves that its transmittance function across the grating bar is similar to that of sinusoidal transmission gratings. Simulation results show that the QRSPS can suppress higher-order diffraction effectively. And the QRSPS would still retain its characteristic of single order diffraction when we take the effect of X-ray penetration into account. These properties indicate that the QRSPS can be used in the soft X-ray spectra measurement.     

Toward one nanometer X-ray focusing: a complex refractive lens design

We report a design for one nanometer X-ray focusing by a complex refractive lens, which is capable of focusing 20 keV X-rays down to a lateral size of 0.92 nm （full-width at half-maximum （FWHM）） and an axial size of 98 nm （FWHM） with intensity gain of 49050. This complex refractive lens is comprised of a series of kinoform lenses, whose aperture is gradually matched to the converging trace of the X-ray beam so as to increase the numerical aperture （NA）. The theoretical principle of the proposed complex refractive lens is presented. The NAs of these lenses are calculated. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that the proposed design can focus the X-ray beam into sub-nanometer while remaining high gain.     

Advances in synchrotron hard X-ray based imaging

Modern synchrotron radiation (SR) sources have dramatically fostered the use of SR-based X-ray imaging. The relevant information such as density, chemical composition, chemical states, structure, and crystallographic perfection is mapped in two, or, increasingly, in three dimensions. The development of nano-science requires pushing spatial resolution down towards the nanoscale.The present article describes a selection of hard X-ray imaging and microanalysis techniques that emerged over the last few years, by taking advantage of the flux and coherence of the SR beams, as well as exploiting the advances in X-ray optics and detectors, and the increased possibilities of computers (memory, speed). Examples are given to illustrate the opportunities associated with the use of these techniques, and a number of recent references are provided. To cite this article: J. Baruchel et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism imaging with hard X-rays

X-ray polarization-contrast images resulting from X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in the hard X-ray region have been successfully recorded for the first time. The apparatus used consisted of an X-ray polarizer, double X-ray phase retarders, and a high-spatial-resolution X-ray charge-coupled-device detector. The sample used was a hexagonal-close-packed cobalt polycrystal foil having a thickness of about 4 microns. The X-ray polarization-contrast image resulting from XMCD was observed at a photon energy of 10 eV above the cobalt K-absorption edge (7709 eV). The observed contrast in the image was reversed by inversion of the magnetic field. Furthermore, the contrast was reversed again at a photon energy of 32 eV above the cobalt K-absorption edge.     

Feasibility study of hard-x-ray nanofocusing above 20 keV using compound photon sieves

Combining the advantages of photon sieves (PSs) and compound Fresnel zone plates (CZPs), we designed compound photon sieves (CPSs) for hard-x-ray nanofocusing. A CPS consists of an inner PS using the first-order diffraction surrounded by an outer zone plate using the third-order diffraction. A robust digital prolate spheroidal window was used as an apodization window for the inner PS, making CPSs more flexible than CZPs. CPSs can provide not only slightly better resolution compared to CZPs, but also it can significantly suppress the sidelobes, leading to a high signal-to-noise ratio. Further improvement of the high-aspect-ratio metal nanostructure process will allow CPSs to be a promising candidate for hard-x-ray nanofocusing in the high-energy region above 20 keV.     

Submicrometer resolution hard X-ray holography with the asymmetric bragg diffraction microscope

The asymmetric Bragg diffraction microscope is a novel x-ray microscope which forms a magnified in-line near-field hologram by asymmetric reflection from two crossed flat crystals. In this paper, the optics of the microscope is studied theoretically. The optical transfer function is obtained, and the limiting spatial resolution, rated at 25% modulation transfer, is determined to be 0.30 microm at an optimum magnification of 89x with Si crystals, over a wide range of hard x-ray wavelengths. Absorption and phase contrast images can be computed from holograms acquired at several object distances. Application to submicrometer resolution hard x-ray microtomography is envisioned.     

差动共焦式纳米级光聚焦探测系统的研究

为解决纳米级大范围的非接触测量问题 ,提出了基于差动式共焦显微技术的光聚焦探测系统。介绍了系统的工作原理和结构装置 ,对系统中的关键技术进行了优化设计 ,通过对共焦光路的差动设计 ,可以有效地抑制光源的噪声和漂移对测量结果的影响。初步实验结果表明 ,该系统的轴向分辨率可达 2 nm     

High resolution hard X-ray photoemission using synchrotron radiation as an essential tool for characterization of thin solid films

Recently, we have shown that hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy using undulator X-rays at SPring-8 is quite feasible with both high resolution and high throughput. Here we report an application of hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy to the characterization of electronic and chemical states of thin solid films, for which conventional PES is not applicable. As a typical example, we focus on the problem of the scatter in the reported band-gap values for InN. We show that oxygen incorporation into the InN film strongly modifies the valence and plays a crucial role in the band gap problem. The present results demonstrate the powerful applicability of high resolution photoemission spectroscopy with hard X-rays from a synchrotron source.     

Simulation study of phase retrieval for hard X-ray in-line phase contrast imaging

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) is a novel method that exploits the phase shift for the incident X-ray to form an image. For light elements such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the phase-shift term can be up to 1000 times greater than the absorption term in the hard X-ray energy region. So XPCI has attracted much attention in recent years. Various methods for XPCI have been proposed and demonstrated on synchrotron devices and other X-ray sources[1―13], particularly the in-line metho…     

Three-dimensional photon counting integral imaging using moving array lens technique

In this Letter, we present three-dimensional (3D) photon counting integral imaging using the moving array-lens technique (MALT) to improve the visualization of a reconstructed 3D scene. In 3D scene reconstruction of photon counting integral imaging, various techniques such as maximum likelihood estimation may be used. However, the visual quality depends on the number of scene photons or detector pixels activated by photons. We show that MALT may improve the viewing resolution of integral imaging for reconstructed 3D scene under photon-starved conditions.     

Electro-optically switchable spatial-mode entangled photon pairs using a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer

In this Letter, we propose and analyze a switchable integrated optical waveguide device employing a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer, capable of generating nondegenerate, maximally spatial-mode entangled photon pairs. Using an integrated electro-optic phase modulator, we show the possibility of on-demand switching of spatial-mode entangled state from a Φ⁺ to a Ψ⁺ state and vice versa. Such a versatile device with the potential of easy manipulation of the "spatial-mode" degree of freedom, should be very interesting in realizing integrated optical chips for quantum information processing.     

H-spectroscopic imaging using a modified Dixon method

Inhomogeneities of the static magnetic field and the different susceptibilities of the various types of tissue are a serious problem for all imaging methods of spectral separation of fat and water. In the Dixon method this problem is solved by using the absolute values of the image signals for the separation. In image regions where the fat signal is greater than the water signal, however, this results in an incorrect assignment of the computed solutions. A modified Dixon method was developed to easily carry out the spectral separation completely over the entire image by interactively building up a phase correction matrix after the data acquisition. The spectral delineation of the fat tissue finds an interesting application in the treatment planning with fast neutrons in accounting for the increase in dose.     

Viewing the interior of a single molecule: vibronically resolved photon imaging at submolecular resolution

We report the spatial imaging of the photon transition probability of a single molecule at submolecular resolution. Photon imaging of a ringlike pattern is further resolved as two orthogonal vibronic transitions after incorporating spectral selectivity. A theoretical model and the calculated intensity images reveal that the transition probability is dominated by the symmetry of the positions of the tip and the transition dipole moment. This imaging technique enables the probing of the electronic and optical properties in the interior of a single molecule.     

Microscopic imaging and holography with hard X-rays using Fresnel zone-plates

The imaging properties of a Fresnel zone-plate (FZP) were used for magnified imaging of microobjects using hard X-rays. The experiments were done using 14 keV synchrotron radiation. The coherence properties of the radiation produced by an undulator allowed the recording of real images and holograms from an object in one single exposure. These images result from the positive and the negative first order diffracted beams respectively. The X-ray microscope worked at an X-ray magnification factor of 12 and could resolve structures of 0.3 μm in size. By going to slightly defocused conditions we obtained magnified images of the holographical nearfield diffraction pattern (in-line holograms) of the object.     

A new method for information retrieval in two-dimensional grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging

Grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging has been demonstrated to be an extremely powerful phase-sensitive imaging technique.By using two-dimensional(2D) gratings,the observable contrast is extended to two refraction directions.Recently,we have developed a novel reverse-projection(RP) method,which is capable of retrieving the object information efficiently with one-dimensional(1D) grating-based phase contrast imaging.In this contribution,we present its extension to the 2D grating-based X-ray phase contrast imaging,named the two-dimensional reverseprojection(2D-RP) method,for information retrieval.The method takes into account the nonlinear contributions of two refraction directions and allows the retrieval of the absorption,the horizontal and the vertical refraction images.The obtained information can be used for the reconstruction of the three-dimensional phase gradient field,and for an improved phase map retrieval and reconstruction.Numerical experiments are carried out,and the results confirm the validity of the 2D-RP method.     

非齐明点成像的X-射线波带板制造中的应用

软X射线成像需用高分辨率波带板(Zone plate)。本文分析了齐明系统非齐明点球差特性。利用这种特性可以产生制作高分辨率X射线波带板所需的两束非球面波。文中还给出了合肥国家同步辐射实验室光束线所用的软X射线波带板的结构参数和制造这种波带板的光学系统。