Coherent x-ray zoom condenser lens for diffractive and scanning microscopy

Area of Science:

• Optics and X-ray Science
• Microscopy and Imaging Technologies

Background:

• Coherent X-ray microscopy requires precise control over beam characteristics.
• Existing methods may lack flexibility in beam size adjustment for diverse applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel coherent x-ray zoom condenser lens.
• To enable controllable beam sizes for advanced microscopy.
• To facilitate new imaging modalities like non-scanning coherent diffraction microscopy.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a two-stage deformable Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror system.
• Implementing a spatial filter to create an apodized focused beam.
• Designing the lens for a fixed focal position with variable beam sizes.

Main Results:

• The lens delivers coherent x-rays with controllable beam sizes from micrometers down to tens of nanometers.
• The system is suitable for both diffractive and scanning microscopy.
• A non-scanning coherent diffraction microscopy method for extended objects was proposed.

Conclusions:

• The proposed zoom lens offers unprecedented control over coherent x-ray beam dimensions.
• This technology enhances imaging efficiency for storage ring sources.
• It paves the way for single-shot coherent diffraction microscopy with X-ray Free-Electron Lasers.