Wavelength-Agile Real Time Tabletop X-ray Nanoscope based on High Harmonic Beams

Nanoscale, material sensitive, imaging techniques are critical for progress in many disciplines as we learn to master science and technology at the smallest dimensions — on the nanometer to atomic-scale. However, progress in both science and technology is becoming increasingly limited by the constraints of current imaging techniques and metrologies. Fortunately, by combining coherent extreme UV (EUV) sources with coherent diffractive (lensless) imaging, these challenges can be addressed, thus enabling advanced materials investigation. Short wavelength light in the EUV and soft X-ray (SXR) region has the potential to image with significantly higher spatial resolution than in the visible region of the spectrum. Moreover, EUV light has exquisite elemental contrast and specificity, and can penetrate opaque objects allowing buried layer imaging. Finally, the EUV/SVR polarization can also be exploited to provide magnetic contrast in support of current and future spin-based technologies. This combination represents a new and powerful analytic toolset, that is dependent on bright, coherent EUV sources. As described in the next section, major advances in robust drive lasers and coherent EUV sources during Phase II, puts the KMLabs-JILA team in an ideal position to integrate these advances into a unique new imaging capability.