Differential interference contrast x-ray microscopy with submicron resolution

Abstract

Progress in lithography and nanofabrication [E. Di Fabrizio et al., Nature (London) 401, 895 (1999)] has made it possible to apply differential interference contrast (DIC) in x-ray microscopy using an original x-ray doublet lens based on two specially developed zone plates. Switching from bright-field imaging (absorption contrast) to x-ray DIC, we observe, similar to visible-light microscopy, a dramatic increase in image contrast for weak absorbing samples. We anticipate that this technique will have a significant impact on x-ray imaging and may play a role comparable to DIC imaging in visible-light microscopy.

Synchrotron-based techniques for plant and soil science: opportunities, challenges and future perspectives

“…The development of phase contrast methods fully compatible with detection in fluorescence yield is therefore essential. Several strategies have been successfully developed and are now routinely used, and include Differential Phase Contrast using configured detectors (Hornberger et al 2007(Hornberger et al , 2008; Differential Interferential Contrast (DIC) with a configured zone-plate (Wilhein et al 2001) or with aperture alignment .…”

Microscopy of biological sample through advanced diffractive optics from visible to x‐ray wavelength regime

“…Test Samples and Moss Spores In order to show the usefulness of the phase PDEs in DIC imaging, we have chosen two test patterns having square and ring shapes made by PMMA, 1.5-micronthick (Wilhein et al, 2001). The images depicted in Figure 9 were obtained replacing the ZP with the phase PDE whose optical function is depicted in Figure 8a.…”

Synchrotron X-Ray Microfluorescence and Microspectroscopy: Application and Perspectives in Materials Science

“…Due to the relative magnitudes of the real (phase-shifting) and imaginary (absorption) parts of the refractive index for materials, the use of phase contrast techniques can often lead to a tremendous reduction of the X-ray dose applied to the specimen [15]. Three original strategies are currently employed on ID21: differential phase contrast (DPC) using configured detectors on the SXM proposed by G. Morrison et al [16], differential interferential contrast (DIC) with a configured zone plate on both SXM and TXM [17,18], and finally, Zernike X-ray microscopy, which has been successfully developed on the TXM. As proposed by Zernike for visible light microscopy, phase contrast images are obtained in a full-field microscope by inserting a phase plate in the back focal plane of the objective [19].…”