Biological microscopy and soft X-ray optics at Stony Brook

Abstract

Soft x-ray microscopes offer higher resolution than confocM optical microscopes, and unique contrast characteristics which are well suited to the study of biological and materials science samples. A number of such microscopes are in use worldwide (see e.g., [1]). We describe here a scanning transmission microscope which operates at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The microscope is used in large part for studies of biological specimens, and plans for cryo microscopy and development of higher resolution zone plate optics are described.