High-resolution ab initio three-dimensional x-ray diffraction microscopy

TLDR

Coherent x‑ray diffraction microscopy images nonperiodic isolated objects with resolution limited only by wavelength and maximum scattering angle. The study aims to image biological and materials science samples at high resolution using x‑ray undulator radiation and to establish techniques for atomic‑resolution ultrafast imaging at x‑ray free‑electron lasers. The authors reconstruct three‑dimensional diffraction data without prior knowledge of shape or composition, and generate two‑dimensional images of thick objects with enhanced depth of focus. They achieved high‑resolution three‑dimensional x‑ray diffraction imaging of nonperiodic objects, quantitatively validated the reconstructed volumes, and produced two‑dimensional images of thick samples with greatly increased depth of focus.

Abstract

Coherent x-ray diffraction microscopy is a method of imaging nonperiodic isolated objects at resolutions limited, in principle, by only the wavelength and largest scattering angles recorded. We demonstrate x-ray diffraction imaging with high resolution in all three dimensions, as determined by a quantitative analysis of the reconstructed volume images. These images are retrieved from the three-dimensional diffraction data using no a priori knowledge about the shape or composition of the object, which has never before been demonstrated on a nonperiodic object. We also construct two-dimensional images of thick objects with greatly increased depth of focus (without loss of transverse spatial resolution). These methods can be used to image biological and materials science samples at high resolution with x-ray undulator radiation and establishes the techniques to be used in atomic-resolution ultrafast imaging at x-ray free-electron laser sources.