https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2002-00194-y
The use of high energy laser-plasma sources in soft X-ray contact microscopy of living biological samples
1
Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca and INFM,
Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milano, Italy
2
Max Planck Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching, Germany
3
Università di Milano, 20126 Milano, Italy
4
Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
Corresponding author: a batani@mib.infn.it
Received:
5
June
2002
Published online:
24
September
2002
In this paper the results of an experiment on soft X-ray contact microscopy using a laser-plasma source are presented. A resolution of 50 nm has been achieved imaging pig sperm cells, while other specimens, such as algae and yeast cells, showed internal details, proving the technique to be a powerful tool for biological investigations. Original biological information has been obtained and the conditions for optimal image formation have been studied.
PACS: 07.85.-m – X- and gamma-ray instruments / 52.50.Jm – Plasma production and heating by laser beams (laser-foil, laser-cluster, etc.) / 78.70.En – X-ray emission spectra and fluorescence
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2002
