title: Quantitative study of contrast enhancement in soft X-ray micrographs of insect eyes by tissue selective mass loss.
abstract: Quantitative studies of soft X-ray induced radiation damage in zone-plate-based X-ray microspectroscopy have so far concentrated on investigations of homogeneous specimens. However, more complex materials can show unexpected radiation-induced behaviour. Here a quantitative radiochemical analysis of biological tissue from Xantophan morganii praedicta eyes is presented. Contrast enhancement due to tissue selective mass loss leading to a significant improvement of imaging quality is reported. Since conventional quantitative analysis of the absorbed dose cannot conclusively explain the experimental observations on photon-energy-dependent radiation damage, a significant contribution of photo- and secondary electrons to soft matter damage for photon energies above the investigated absorption edge is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Physical Chemistry 2 and ICMM, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Egerlandstrasse 3, Erlangen 91058, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Späth
authors.affiliation: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen 5232, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstrasse 5, Erlangen 91058, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz Thilo
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Wasserthal
authors.affiliation: Physical Chemistry 2 and ICMM, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Egerlandstrasse 3, Erlangen 91058, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054910:Compound Eye, Arthropod / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009036:Moths; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: STXM; radiation chemistry; radiation damage; soft X-ray microspectroscopy