Conceptual Design of Soft X-ray Microscopy for Live Biological Samples

This study describes the conceptual design of a soft x-ray microscope system based on a laserbased source for biomedical application with high resolution (${\leq}$50nm). The laboratory scale soft x-ray microscope consists of high power laser plasma x-ray source and grazing incidence mirrors with high reflectivity. The laser plasma source used for developing this system employs Q-switched Nd-YAG pulsed laser. The laser beam is focused on a tantalum (Ta) target. The Wolter type I mirror was used as condenser optics for sample illumination and as objective mirror for focusing on a detector. The fabrication of the Wolter type I mirror was direct internal cutting using ultraprecision DTM. A hydrated biological specimen was put between the two silicon wafers, the center of which was $Si_3N_4$ windows of 100㎚ thickness. The main issues in the future development work are to make a stable, reliable and reproducible x-ray microscope system.