Nanoscale imaging is critical for progress in many areas, as we learn to master science and technology at the smallest dimensions. Coherent diffractive imaging is unique as the only route for achieving high spatial resolution in the extreme ultraviolet and X-ray regions, limited only by the wavelength of the light. Recently, advances in coherent short wavelength light sources, coupled with progress in algorithm development, have significantly enhanced the power of x-ray imaging. High harmonic EUV sources are unique in their ability to deliver very high quality spatially and temporally coherent beams. When combined with coherent diffractive imaging (CDI), tabletop EUV sources are breaking barriers for nanoscale imaging of materials –

  • The KMLabs XUUSTM was recently used to achieve the first sub-wavelength resolution EUV/SXR imaging using any light source — achieving 12.6 nm spatial resolution using 13.5 nm HHG beams – even for periodic samples
  • EUV-based CDI enables quantitative, high-quality, full field imaging of surfaces or buried layers
  • EUV CDI gives both an amplitude and phase image
  • EUV CDI enables high-sensitivity elemental and chemically resolved imaging of surfaces and sub-surface features
  • Other applications include scatterometry, magnetic resonance scattering
CDI
Coherent Diffractive

Example References:

Wide Field-of-View Reflection-Mode Ptychographic Imaging Microscope with Tabletop 12.7 nm High Harmonic Illumination.  Microscopy and Microanalysis 23, Issue S1 (2017)

Science 348, 530 (2015)

Ultramicroscopy 158, 98 (2015)

Nano Lett. 16, 5444 (2016)

IQT 8, 18 (2016) 

Nature Photonics 11, 259 (2017)