Lensless Holographic X-ray Imaging of Magnetic Nanostructures

Applying soft x-rays to Fourier transform holography, we have imaged a magnetic nanostructure with 50 nm resolution. The key element is an x-ray opaque mask containing two apertures which are 1.0$\mu $m and 100nm in diameter. By integrating the magnetic sample film to the mask structure, the larger aperture defines the field of view, and the smaller aperture transmits a holographic reference beam. Illumination with coherent soft x-rays produces an interference hologram in the far field which is recorded with a CCD detector. A single spatial Fourier transform of the hologram yields an image of the magnetic domain structure. This truly lensless full field imaging technique is ideally suited for ultrafast imaging with a single x-ray pulse from the now imminent x-ray lasers.