Compound focusing mirror and X-ray waveguide optics for coherent imaging and nano-diffraction

Simultaneous high-resolution scanning Bragg contrast and ptychographic imaging of a single solar cell nanowire

Simultaneous scanning Bragg contrast and small-angle ptychographic imaging of a single solar cell nanowire are demonstrated, using a nanofocused hard X-ray beam and two detectors. The 2.5 µm-long nanowire consists of a single-crystal InP core of 190 nm diameter, coated with amorphous SiO₂ and polycrystalline indium tin oxide. The nanowire was selected and aligned in real space using the small-angle scattering of the 140 × 210 nm X-ray beam. The orientation of the nanowire, as observed in small-angle scattering, was used to find the correct rotation for the Bragg condition. After alignment in real space and rotation, high-resolution (50 nm step) raster scans were performed to simultaneously measure the distribution of small-angle scattering and Bragg diffraction in the nanowire. Ptychographic reconstruction of the coherent small-angle scattering was used to achieve sub-beam spatial resolution. The small-angle scattering images, which are sensitive to the shape and the electron density of all parts of the nanowire, showed a homogeneous profile along the nanowire axis except at the thicker head region. In contrast, the scanning Bragg diffraction microscopy, which probes only the single-crystal InP core, revealed bending and crystalline inhomogeneity. Both systematic and non-systematic real-space movement of the nanowire were observed as it was rotated, which would have been difficult to reveal only from the Bragg scattering. These results demonstrate the advantages of simultaneously collecting and analyzing the small-angle scattering in Bragg diffraction experiments.

X-Ray Optics on a Chip: Guiding X Rays in Curved Channels

We study the propagation of hard x rays in single curved x-ray waveguide channels and observe waveguide effects down to surprisingly small radii of curvature R≃10  mm and a large contour length s≃5  mm, deflecting beams up to 30°. At these high angles, about 2 orders of magnitude above the critical angle of total reflection θ(c), most radiation modes are lost by "leaking" into the cladding, while certain "survivor" modes persist. This may open up a new form of integrated x-ray optics "on a chip," requiring curvatures mostly well below the extreme values studied here, e.g., to split and to delay x-ray pulses.

Myelinated mouse nerves studied by X-ray phase contrast zoom tomography

We have used X-ray phase contrast tomography to resolve the structure of uncut, entire myelinated optic, saphenous and sciatic mouse nerves. Intrinsic electron density contrast suffices to identify axonal structures. Specific myelin labeling by an osmium tetroxide stain enables distinction between axon and surrounding myelin sheath. Utilization of spherical wave illumination enables zooming capabilities which enable imaging of entire sciatic internodes as well as identification of sub-structures such as nodes of Ranvier and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures.