Octave-spanning hyperspectral coherent diffractive imaging in the extreme ultraviolet range.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Soft x-ray microscopy offers sub-micron resolution and chemical specificity via NEXAFS.
• Carbon K-edge (280-300 eV) provides high contrast for biological samples.
• Traditional soft x-ray imaging relies on large synchrotron or XFEL facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate chemically-specific hyperspectral imaging using tabletop high harmonic generation (HHG) sources.
• To overcome the limitation of broad bandwidth in HHG for imaging applications.
• To develop a compact and versatile soft x-ray microscopy technique.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an octave-spanning HHG source producing coherent radiation up to 30 eV.
• Applied Fourier transform spectroscopy and lensless holographic imaging.
• Employed an interferometric delay reference to correct for source fluctuations.

Main Results:

• Achieved simultaneous multi-wavelength imaging of an object.
• Demonstrated the utility of broad HHG bandwidth for hyperspectral imaging.
• Showcased the potential for tabletop soft x-ray microscopy.

Conclusions:

• Tabletop HHG sources can be effectively used for advanced soft x-ray microscopy.
• Hyperspectral imaging is feasible with broad bandwidth HHG sources.
• This approach offers a promising alternative to large-scale facilities for chemical imaging.