Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of a soft-x-ray microscope and recording medium that will offer order-of-magnitude improvements in size, weight, cost, simplicity, and ease of use over conventional x-ray microscopes.The specific aims of our Phase I research are(1) to build and test a working breadboard of a high-resolution tabletop soft-x-ray microscope; and(2) to produce a conceptual design of a Phase II prototype that will show the merit of proceeding to commercial production.The improvements are expected based on innovations in soft-x-ray sources and thin-film photosensitive media. The soft-x-ray source, a compact electron diode with properly chosen anode material, should produce copious line emission in the water window. The x-ray recording medium combines high photosensitivity with the high resolution of grainless photoresists. The result should be a novel compact, low-cost tool for biomedical researchers. It should make practical for the first time the widespread commercial availability of the unique capabilities of x-ray microscopes: high-contrast, high-resolution imaging of wet biological specimens with minimal preparation and the ability to map precisely minute distributions of chemical elements within specimens.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
