Soft x-ray ptychography with SOPHIE: Guide and instrumentation
Tim A Butcher1,2, Simone Finizio1, Lars Heller1
1Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|December 8, 2025
Summary
Soft x-ray ptychography, a powerful microscopy technique, offers high resolution and contrast. The SOPHIE endstation at SLS enables advanced experiments with sub-10 nm resolution, benefiting diverse scientific fields.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Chemistry
- Environmental and life sciences
- Synchrotron microscopy
Background:
- Soft x-ray ptychography combines high spatial resolution with strong contrast mechanisms.
- This technique is increasingly vital across multiple scientific disciplines.
- Existing capabilities are being enhanced by specialized endstations.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce soft x-ray ptychography using the SOPHIE endstation.
- Detail the instrumentation of the SOPHIE endstation at the Swiss Light Source (SLS).
- Demonstrate the imaging capabilities of SOPHIE for prospective users.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing soft x-ray ptychography.
- Employing the SOft X-ray Ptychography Highly Integrated Endstation (SOPHIE).
- Operating at the Swiss Light Source (SLS).
Main Results:
- Achieved sub-10 nm spatial resolution.
- Demonstrated high chemical and ferroic sensitivities.
- Provided an example of imaging capabilities at 706 eV photon energy.
Conclusions:
- SOPHIE is a key endstation for advanced soft x-ray ptychography.
- The endstation supports high-resolution imaging with chemical and ferroic sensitivity.
- SOPHIE facilitates research across physics, chemistry, and life sciences.
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