Coherent X-ray scattering and lensless imaging at the European XFEL Facility

Abstract

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging is a rapidly advancing form of lensless microscopy. The phase information of the diffraction pattern is embedded in a sufficiently sampled coherent diffraction pattern. Using advanced computational methods, this diffraction pattern can be inverted to produce an image of a sample with diffraction-limited resolution. It is attractive to use high-power coherent X-ray beams produced by future X-ray free-electron lasers for imaging nanoscale condensed matter, materials and biological samples. Here, the scientific case, requirements and the possible realisation of the coherent X-ray diffraction imaging beamlines at the European XFEL Facility are presented.