IMAGING MICROSCOPE USING "PORTABLE" SOFT X-RAY LASER

RECENT, REVOLUTIONARY PROGRESS IN X-RAY SOURCES AND OPTICS OPENS UP EXCITING POSSIBILITIES FOR ADVANCING X-RAY MICROSCOPY OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE. SUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO UTILIZE SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FOR THIS PURPOSE. HOWEVER, EXPOSURE TIMES ARE TOO LONG-CHANGES OCCUR IN HYDRATED SPECIMENS DURING THE IMAGING. THE X-RAY LASER, A NANOSECOND DURATION PULSED SOURCE, HAS THE UNIQUE ADVANTAGE OF COMPLETING EXPOSURES BEFORE CHANGES ARE APPARENT. THIS GIVES BIOLOGISTS THE POTENTIAL TO REALIZE A DREAM-A 25NM RESOLUTION IMAGE OF LIVING CELLS AS THEY EXISTED A MOMENT BEFORE EXPOSURE. SO FAR, X-RAY MICROSCOPY HAS PRODUCED NO SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF NEW BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE CONSTRAINTS OF WORKING AT LARGE FACILITIES WITH FRAGILE, SHORT LIVED BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS ARE A SERIOUS IMPEDIMENT TO RESEARCH. RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS OF SOFT X-RAY GAIN IN AMPLIFIERS PUMPED BY SMALL 6J ND LASERS OPEN TREMENDOUS POSSIBILITIES FOR DEVELOPING CONVENIENT TABLE TOP SOFT X-RAY LASER MICROSCOPES THAT COULD BE STATIONED IN BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES ALONGSIDE EXISTING MICROSCOPES. THE GOOD WORKING RELATIONS BETWEEN PXL INC., AND PRINCETON UNIVERSITY'S SOFT X-RAY LASER PROJECT OFFER AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ACCELERATING THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF THESE SOURCES, BRINGING THE FRUITS OF SOFT X-RAY LASER RESEARCH TO THE MARKETPLACE. RECENT, REVOLUTIONARY PROGRESS IN X-RAY SOURCES AND OPTICS OPENS UP EXCITING POSSIBILITIES FOR ADVANCING X-RAY MICROSCOPY OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE. SUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO UTILIZE SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FOR THIS PURPOSE. HOWEVER, EXPOSURE TIMES ARE TOO LONG-CHANGES OCCUR IN HYDRATED SPECIMENS DURING THE IMAGING. THE X-RAY LASER, A NANOSECOND DURATION PULSED SOURCE, HAS THE UNIQUE ADVANTAGE OF COMPLETING EXPOSURES BEFORE CHANGES ARE APPARENT. THIS GIVES BIOLOGISTS THE POTENTIAL TO REALIZE A DREAM-A 25NM RESOLUTION IMAGE OF LIVING CELLS AS THEY EXISTED A MOMENT BEFORE EXPOSURE. SO FAR, X-RAY MICROSCOPY HAS PRODUCED NO SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF NEW BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE CONSTRAINTS OF WORKING AT LARGE FACILITIES WITH FRAGILE, SHORT LIVED BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS ARE A SERIOUS IMPEDIMENT TO RESEARCH. RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS OF SOFT X-RAY GAIN IN AMPLIFIERS PUMPED BY SMALL 6J ND LASERS OPEN TREMENDOUS POSSIBILITIES FOR DEVELOPING CONVENIENT TABLE TOP SOFT X-RAY LASER MICROSCOPES THAT COULD BE STATIONED IN BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES ALONGSIDE EXISTING MICROSCOPES. THE GOOD WORKING RELATIONS BETWEEN PXL INC., AND PRINCETON UNIVERSITY'S SOFT X-RAY LASER PROJECT OFFER AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ACCELERATING THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF THESE SOURCES, BRINGING THE FRUITS OF SOFT X-RAY LASER RESEARCH TO THE MARKETPLACE.