Biological microscopy and soft X-ray optics at Stony Brook (original) (raw)

Zone plate lenses for X-ray microscopy

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 1988

Fresnel zone plate lenses with feature sizes as small as 50 nm have been constructed and used in the Stony Brook/NSLS scanning X-ray microscope with 3.1 nm radiation from Brookhaven's X-17 mini-undulator. The zone plates were fabricated at IBM using electron beam writing techniques, moir6 pattern techniques to monitor ellipticity, and a double development/double plating technique to provide additional thickness in the central region. A spatial resolution down to 75 nm was measured in the microscope. Using these zone plates, biological images were obtained of unaltered subcellular components. The images highlight protein concentration in unsectioned, unfixed, and unstained enzymatic granules in an aqueous environment.

Zone-doubled fresnel zone plates for scanning transmission X-ray microscopy

AIP Conference Proceedings, 2010

We demonstrate the highest spatial resolution reported in scanning transmission x-ray microscopy to date. For the first time in x-ray microscopy, features below 10 nm in width were resolved in the soft x-ray regime (1.2 keV) and 20-nm lines and spaces were visible at multi-keV photon energies (6.2 keV). These achievements were accomplished using zone-doubled Fresnel zone plates. These lenses were fabricated by combining electron-beam lithography and atomic layer deposition of iridium. Diffraction efficiencies up to 8% were measured for zone-doubled Fresnel zone plates with an outermost zone width of 25 nm at 6.2-keV photon energy.

A New Lithographic Technique for the Manufacture of High Resolution Zone Plates for Soft X-Rays

Le Journal de Physique Colloques

-Une technique de lithographie utilisant un microscope électronique à balayage en transmission est en développement. Cette technique est capable de dessiner avec précision sur des petites surfaces, des motifs dont l'épaisseur des lignes est inférieure à 50 nm. On décrit la méthode et on discute de ses applications à la fabrication de composants d'optique pour la diffraction desrayons-X mous.

High resolution fresnel zone plates for soft x-rays

Microelectronic Engineering, 1994

We developed a complete system for fabrication of Zone Plates (ZPs) for soft x-rays covering all steps from design to absorber growth and to automatic dimensional inspection and final tests. The design phase is carried out by a custom software optimized for high resolution ZPs. The substrates used are 100 nm thick silicon nitride membranes, coated with a 5 nm chromium adhesion layer, a 5 nm gold electroplating base and a 200 nm thick layer of 950 K PMMA resist. The writing phase is accomplished by a Leica EBMF 10 cs/120 electron beam lithography machine operating at 30 kV. The absorber material is 120 nm electroplated gold. 100 pm diameter soft x-rays ZPs having line-to-space ratios of 1: 1 (according to the theory) and 3: 1 for 2"d order, double resolution microscopy were fabricated. A second custom software was exploited to extract metrological information on ZPs by using the EBL machine used in metrological mode. The ZPs have been tested at NSLS, Brookhaven Laboratory. First order ZPs showed a resolution of approximately 120 nm, while for second order it was approx. 60 nm. For some samples the first order efficiency was found to be 9%, close to the maximum theoretical value.

New results in soft X-ray microscopy

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 1994

Inner shell processes in the light elements provide the contrast mechanisms for soft X-ray microscopy. Bright X-ray sources and precision focusing elements have led to the development of high resolution instruments. Our efforts in scanning microscopy, holography and diffraction at the National Synchrotron Light Source are aimed at the development of microimaging techniques mostly for biological specimens.

Efficient alignment scheme for zone-plates-based transmission soft X-ray microscope

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2010

Alignment and operation of a zone-plate (ZP)-based transmission soft X-ray microscope (TXM) is difficult and time consuming, especially when the TXM has no dedicated X-ray source. We introduce here an efficient TXM alignment scheme. The TXM employed is a simple in-situ-experiment-capable setup. It includes ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV)-compatible conflat flanges and is mountable in tandem with any soft X-ray synchrotron radiation beamlines. Obtaining zeroth-and first-order diffracted (condenser-zone-plate [CZP]-focused) beams simultaneously by means of the objective zone plate (OZP) is the most essential step in the alignment scheme. We were able to acquire, in one hour at a radiation wavelength of 2.49 nm, an image of 50 nm spatial resolution.

Development of a hard x-ray imaging microscope

Review of Scientific Instruments, 1995

A hard x-ray imaging microscope based on a phase zone plate has been developed and tested. The zone plate, with a 5 cm focal length and a 0.2 pm smallest linewidth, was used to image 8 keV x rays from the samples. The imaging microscope can be used to obtain nearly diffraction-limited resolution over the entire imaging field, and its resolution is almost independent of source size and source motions. We have tested such an imaging microscope, and a resolution of about 0.4 pm was obtained. The images were obtained with an exposure time of less than 1 min, for a magnification factor of 30 in the x rays. The x rays were then converted into visible light, and another 7 times magnification were obtained by using a lens system coupled to a charge coupled device camera. The results from the imaging microscope, and possible applications, will be discussed. 0 1995 American Institute of Physics.-1NTRODUCTlON

X-ray Microscopy with the NSLS Soft X-ray Undulator

Physica Scripta, 1990

Soft X-rays are attractive for microscopy because they tend to be less damaging to specimens than charged probes. In addition their interactions with specimens can result in element-specific information and the penetration depth is adjustable by choice of the beam energy. Resolution on the order of 50 nm has been demonstrated, and further improvements are anticipated.

Instrumentation developments in scanning soft x-ray microscopy at the NSLS (invited)

Review of Scientific Instruments, 1995

The Scanning Transmission Soft X-ray Microscope at the NSLS has been instrumented for the following new forms of imaging: (1) XANES microscopy for the mapping of chemical constituents and for absorption spectroscopy of small specimen areas; (2) luminescence microscopy for locating visible light emitting labels at the resolution determined by the size of the x-ray microprobe: and (3) dichroism microscopy for mapping the alignment of molecules whose absorption spectra are polarization dependent. Since the instrument is used mostly for the imaging of biological and other radiation sensitive materials, a cryostage is being planned to accommodate frozen hydrated specimens.