Open AccessCharacterization of the resolving power and contrast transfer function of a transmission X-ray microscope with partially coherent illumination
Author(s) -
Stefan Rehbein,
Peter Guttmann,
Stephan Werner,
Gerd Schneider
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.005830
Subject(s) - optics , undulator , contrast transfer function , optical transfer function , image resolution , microscope , spatial frequency , physics , resolution (logic) , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , diffraction , microscopy , materials science , radiation , spherical aberration , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , lens (geology)
The achievable spatial resolution and the contrast transfer function (CTF) are key parameters characterizing an X-ray microscope. We measured the spatial resolution and the contrast transfer function of the transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) at the electron storage ring BESSY II. The TXM uses the radiation of an undulator source and operates under partially coherent illumination conditions. For spatial resolutions down to 25 nm, our measurements of the CTF's are in good agreement with theoretical CTF data for partial coherence. With higher resolution zone plate objectives, we measured a spatial resolution (half-pitch) of 11 nm in 1st and 3rd order of diffraction. However, with these objectives the stray light level increases significantly.