A COMPACT SCHWARZSCHILD SOFT-X-RAY MICROSCOPE WITH A LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA SOURCE

A compact Schwarzschild soft X-ray microscope using a laser-produced p lasma soft X-ray source has been developed. The laser-produced plasma source, which is small but of high brilliance, has made it possible to use the soft X-ray microscope in a small laboratory. The microscope i s composed of a Schwarzschild objective and a grazing incidence mirror condenser. Image contrast for biological specimens in soft X-ray regi ons is investigated briefly. It is possible to observe the fine struct ures of a thin specimen at a wavelength of 15 nm; at this wavelength h igh-contrast images of biological specimens have been obtained with a single laser shot of pulse width of 8 ns at a resolution of 0.3 mu m. The resolution of the system is limited by the detector.