Tabletop coherent diffractive microscopy with extreme ultraviolet light from high harmonic generation

Abstract

We demonstrate lensless diffractive microscopy using a tabletop source of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light from high harmonic generation at 29 nm and 13.5 nm. High harmonic generation has been shown to produce fully spatially coherent EUV light when the conversion process is well phase-matched in a hollow-core waveguide. We use this spatial coherence for two related diffractive imaging techniques which circumvent the need for lossy imaging optics in the EUV region of the spectrum. Holography with a reference beam gives sub-100 nm resolution in short exposure times with fast image retrieval. Application of the Guided Hybrid Input-Output phase retrieval algorithm refines the image resolution to 53 nm with 29 nm light. Initial images using the technologically important 13.5 nm wavelength give 92nm resolution in a 10-minute exposure. Straightforward extensions of this work should also allow near-wavelength resolution with the 13.5 nm source. Diffractive imaging techniques provide eased alignment and focusing requirements as compared with zone plate or multilayer mirror imaging systems. The short-pulsed nature of the extreme ultraviolet source will allow pump-probe imaging of materials dynamics with time resolutions down to the pulse duration of the EUV.