Subnanosecond In-Line Soft X-Ray Holography Using Germanium Laser in the 20 nm Wavelength Region

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Daido, H. | Schulz, M. S. | Murai, K. | Kodama, R. | Yuan, G. | Goto, J. | Tanaka, K. A. | Kato, Y. | Nakai, S. | Shinohara, K. | Honda, T. | Kodama, I. | Iwasaki, H. | Yoshinobu, T. | Tsukamoto, M. | Niibe, M. | Fukuda, Y. | Neely, D. | Macphee, A. | Slark, G.

Affiliations: Instituie of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565, Japan | The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medieal Science 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan | Imaging Science and Engineering Laboratory, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, lnage-ku Chiba 260, Japan | Imaging Science and Engineering Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 227, Japan | Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, lbaraki, Osaka 567, Japan | Canon Research Center, 5-1 Morinosato-Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-01, Japan | Department of Pure and Applied Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 INN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | Department of Physics, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom

Abstract: Near- and far-field characteristics of a germanium soft x-ray laser at the wavelengths of 23.2–23.6 nm (J = 2-1 transitions) and 19.6 nm (J = 0-1 transition) are given for quantitative evaluation of the germanium laser for holographic applications. In-line Gabor holography of simple structured objects, such as thin opaque fibers and a standard electron microscope test specimen, is demonstrated. The holograms were recorded on PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) photoresists and llford Q-plates. The holograms recorded on PMMA were retrieved with an atomic force microscope. The object image was reconstructed by numerical reconstruction with phase retrieval algorithm, resulting in a clear, ghost-free image with sharp edges which infer sub-μm resolution. Future directions for x-ray laser holography are briefly discussed.

DOI: 10.3233/XST-1995-5109

Journal: Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 105-120, 1995