Sub 1-μm resolution “water-window” microscopy using a compact, laser-plasma SXR source based on a double stream gas-puff target

Plasma characterization of the gas-puff target source dedicated for soft X-ray microscopy using SiC detectors

“…3b. More details about the SXR microscope and its applications can be found in [16,17]. Figure 4 shows typical emission spectrum from nitrogen plasma in the 'water window' range (dashed line), generated by focused Nd:YAG laser pulse interacting with nitrogen/helium gas-puff target.…”

Recent advancements in the “water-window” microscopy with laser-plasma SXR source based on a double stream gas-puff target

“…43 and in Ref. 44, respectively. Nevertheless, the main advantage of the achromatic SXR microscopy system is the lack of dispersion of the condenser and objective, which makes possible to change spectral emission of the source.…”

“…The laser plasma source was optimized for efficient gen− eration of SXR radiation from argon and nitrogen plasmas. Argon plasma emits a broad band radiation from the SXR region [43], while nitrogen plasma produces spectrally much narrower, quasi monochromatic radiation, required for hi− ghly dispersive diffractive optics [44]. The targets are for− med by two circularly symmetric nozzles.…”

“…The last fig− ure depicts a few interconnected cells with dark cell walls and white cell interiors. Those images were obtained under narrow band illumination from the nitrogen plasma [44]. Dashed box in the SEM images in Figs.…”

“…The optimization allowed achie− ving highest SNR and the possibility of "single shot" imag− ing. Such approach allowed for one SXR pulse, 3-4 ns in duration, to be used for image acquisition, resulting in a na− nosecond temporal resolution imaging [43,44]. As a test object a copper, 2000 periods per inch TEM mesh from SPI supplies, USA, was used.…”