Soft X-ray microscopy to 25 nm with applications to biology and magnetic materials

We report both technical advances in soft X-ray microscopy (XRM) and applic ations furthered by these advances. With new zone plate lenses we record te st pattern features with good modulation to 25 nm and smaller. In combinati on with fast cryofixation, sub-cellular images show very fine detail previo usly seen only in electron microscopy, but seen here in thick, hydrated, an d unstained samples. The magnetic domain structure is studied at high spati al resolution with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (X-MCD) as a huge elem ent-specific magnetic contrast mechanism. occurring e.g. at the L-2.3 edges of transition metals. It can be used to distinguish between in-plane and o ut-of-plane contributions by tilting the sample. As XRM is a photon based t echnique, the magnetic images can be obtained in unlimited varying external magnetic fields. The images discussed have been obtained at the XM-1 soft X-ray microscope on beamline 6.1 at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.