Imaging Magnetic Nanostructures via Resonant Soft X-Ray Spectro Holography

We will present how to exploit the coherence and tunable polarization of soft X-ray synchrotron radiation for imaging magnetic nanostructures via Fourier Transform Holography. This new lensless imaging technique is based on the direct Fourier inversion of a holographically formed soft x-ray interference pattern. Our implementation is particularly simple and is based on placing the sample behind a lithographically manufactured mask with a micron-sized sample aperture and a nano-sized reference hole. By exploiting the magnetic dichroism in resonance at the L$_{3}$ edges of the magnetic transition metals, images of magnetic nanostructures have been obtained with a spatial resolution of 50 nm. Different examples will be presented. The technique is transferable to a wide variety of specimen, appears scalable to diffraction-limited resolution (about 2 nm), and is well suited for ultra-fast single-shot imaging with future X-ray free electron laser sources.