Progress in lithography and nanofabrication [E. Di Fabrizio , Nature (Londo
n) 401, 895 (1999)] has made it possible to apply differential interference
contrast (DIC) in x-ray microscopy using an original x-ray doublet lens ba
sed on two specially developed zone plates. Switching from bright-field ima
ging (absorption contrast) to x-ray DIC, we observe, similar to visible-lig
ht microscopy, a dramatic increase in image contrast for weak absorbing sam
ples. We anticipate that this technique will have a significant impact on x
-ray imaging and may play a role comparable to DIC imaging in visible-light
microscopy. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.