Hard X-ray Imaging Microscopy using X-ray Guide Tube as Beam Condenser for Field Illumination

Abstract

An optical system for illumination of object in x-ray imaging microscopy is developed. The optical system is a beam condenser consisting of a single-bounce conical-shape mono-capillary (x-ray guide tube: XGT) made of Pyrex glass. The XGT condenser was tested at the beam line 47XU of SPring-8 using a Fresnel zone plate as an objective lens. Comparing with the microscope without beam condenser, the flux density is improved by a factor of 12–20 in the x-ray energy range of 6–8 keV. Test patterns with a 50 nm-structure are clearly resolved at 8 keV with an exposure time less than 1 s.