SNOM images of X-ray radiographs at nano-scale stored in a thin layer of lithium fluoride

J Microsc. 2008 Mar;229(Pt 3):490-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2008.01932.x.

Abstract

In this work, we report a method to observe soft X-ray radiographs at nanoscale of various kind of samples, biological and metallic, stored in a thin layer of lithium fluoride, employing scanning near-field optical microscopy with an optical resolution that reaches 50 nm. Lithium fluoride material works as a novel image detector for X-ray nano-radiographs, due to the fact that extreme ultraviolet radiation and soft X-rays efficiently produce stable point defects emitting optically stimulated visible luminescence in a thin surface layer. The bi-dimensional distribution of the so-created defects depends on the local nanostructure of the investigated sample.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Fluorides*
  • Lithium Compounds*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Microscopy, Scanning Probe*
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Olea / ultrastructure
  • Pollen / ultrastructure
  • Radiography* / instrumentation
  • Radiography* / methods
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Lithium Compounds
  • lithium fluoride
  • Fluorides