title: A Compact "Water Window" Microscope with 60 nm Spatial Resolution for Applications in Biology and Nanotechnology.
abstract: Short illumination wavelength allows an extension of the diffraction limit toward nanometer scale; thus, improving spatial resolution in optical systems. Soft X-ray (SXR) radiation, from "water window" spectral range, λ=2.3-4.4 nm wavelength, which is particularly suitable for biological imaging due to natural optical contrast provides better spatial resolution than one obtained with visible light microscopes. The high contrast in the "water window" is obtained because of selective radiation absorption by carbon and water, which are constituents of the biological samples. The development of SXR microscopes permits the visualization of features on the nanometer scale, but often with a tradeoff, which can be seen between the exposure time and the size and complexity of the microscopes. Thus, herein, we present a desk-top system, which overcomes the already mentioned limitations and is capable of resolving 60 nm features with very short exposure time. Even though the system is in its initial stage of development, we present different applications of the system for biology and nanotechnology. Construction of the microscope with recently acquired images of various samples will be presented and discussed. Such a high resolution imaging system represents an interesting solution for biomedical, material science, and nanotechnology applications.
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Optoelectronics,Military University of Technology,Kaliskiego 2 Str.,00-908 Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9853-7946
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wachulak
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Optoelectronics,Military University of Technology,Kaliskiego 2 Str.,00-908 Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torrisi
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Muhammad F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Nawaz
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Optoelectronics,Military University of Technology,Kaliskiego 2 Str.,00-908 Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bartnik
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Optoelectronics,Military University of Technology,Kaliskiego 2 Str.,00-908 Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.affiliation: 2Faculty of Biomedical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Šárka
authors.initials: Š
authors.lastname: Vondrová
authors.affiliation: 2Faculty of Biomedical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turňová
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Alexandr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jančarek
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiří
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limpouch
authors.affiliation: 2Faculty of Biomedical Engineering,Czech Technical University in Prague,Brehova 7,115 19 Prague 1,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrbová
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Optoelectronics,Military University of Technology,Kaliskiego 2 Str.,00-908 Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fiedorowicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001695:Biology / Q000379:methods*; D002244:Carbon; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Fresnel zone plates; SXR microscopy; Soft X-rays (SXR); gas puff target source; “water window”