How big can we go small? DLSRs and nanoimaging of macro objects

Diffraction-limited storage rings (DLSRs) are expected to provide an increase of two orders of magnitude in quasi-time-continuous coherent x-ray flux. At present, nanoscale coherent x-ray imaging is done on samples no larger than a few micrometers across. However, sub-20 nanometer spatial resolution has been obtained in images of circuit layers on un-thinned silicon wafers, highlighting the penetration power of X rays. Can we upscale nanoscale [1] x-ray imaging to the study of millimeter-sized (or larger) samples? This would enable studies of tissues and materials where the full macroscopic functional context could be provided for the understanding of nanoscale features or processes. This talk considers the challenges in reaching towards that goal (including imaging beyond the depth-of-focus limit) and provides estimates of the imaging time for two example sample types: biological specimens, and integrated circuit features. Calculations suggest that the imaging of nanoscale features in millimeter- or even centimeter-sized specimens is achievable within somewhat practical time limits. To reach this potential, key limitations in experimental hardware and in computational reconstruction methods are noted.

1. M. Du, Z. Di, D. Gürsoy, R. Xian, Y. Kozorovitskiy, and C. Jacobsen, J. Appl. Cryst. 54, 386 (2021).