Coherence Based X-ray Imaging on Live Specimens

1
30nm Au Zone plate of aspect ratio gt 15 for hard
X-ray
microscopy Y. K. Hwu

Using the e-beam writer and the clean room
facility, we fabricated the first 30nm zone plate
with extremely high aspect ratio (gt15) sufficient
to focus/magnify hard-x-rays (?lt1.5Å) . The
process involved not only state-of-the-art
electron beam lithography to define the pattern,
but requires highly sophisticate
electrodeposition to grow the require Au
nanostructure. This diffractive optic device for
X-ray is required to perform x-ray microscopy at
the similar resolution of the smallest zone one
can fabricate.
2
X-ray micrographs of 25nm resolution
Drosophila Brain stained to show mushroom body
Siemans Star Test Patterns with inner most line
of 30nm width
Using this devices, we achieved a record high
resolution in X-ray microscopy. The Siemens Star
Pattern made of Au with the inner most 30nm line
clearly resolved. Detail characterization
demonstrates that 22 nm resolution was achieved.
The enhanced contrast by detecting the modulation
of difference in refractive index provides much
better contrast for biology specimens. In
collaborating with Professor Ann-Shyn Chiang, we
took high resolution image of Drosophila at 30nm
resolution and targeting to image single neurons
detailed structure. We used this tool also to
study the nanoparticle uptake in cell expecting
such uptake can play important role in the cancer
treatment.
Au Nano Particle uptake by an EMT cell
3
Tomographs showing the 3D location of Au
Nanoparticles in EMT cell
X-ray micrograph Tomography Reconstructed 3D
image Field of View 12x12 µm2

X-ray micrograph Tomography Reconstructed 3D
image Field of View 12x12 µm2
Hard-x-ray microscopy is particularly useful to
reveal 3D structures without the tedious
sectioning required in electron microscopy. By
standard tomography reconstruction technique, 3D
structures can be determined without noticeable
loss of resolution. The micrographs and
tomographs are from a small region of an EMT cell
shown in the previous slide.

TXM image (left) and reconstructed 3D model
(right) (-68 degree to 68 degree)