Development of Bragg-Fresnel Optics for Hard X-Ray Microfocusing and Microscopy

9625977 Safinya该奖项为一项综合研究计划提供支持，该计划旨在开发基于布拉格-菲涅耳光学器件（BFO）的X射线微束衍射和直接成像技术。 开发工作的目标是：1）。通过采用最先进的纳米纤维技术开发高质量的布拉格-菲涅耳光学器件，最终目标是生产具有50 nm分辨率和40%效率的布拉格-菲涅耳透镜（BFL）; 2.）开发实验方法，以有效地利用BFL在广泛的X射线表征方法中的应用，包括高分辨率X射线散射和衍射，以及电子材料的纳米结构表征;以及3.）发展8 keV - 100 keV能量范围内的纳米分辨率硬X射线振幅和相衬显微镜方法。 基于BFO的微聚焦衍射光学器件与第三代同步辐射光源（Advanced Photon Source，APS）的高亮度和高相干性，将极大地提高我们探测复杂材料和生物系统中尺度结构的能力。 %%% 受益于这种新仪器的研究项目涵盖了复杂材料和生物系统的广泛领域，包括生物分子材料，微米级蛋白质晶体，复杂流体和纳米结构的结构表征和硬X射线直接显微成像。 ***

9625977 Safinya This award provides support for a comprehensive research program to develop x-ray microbeam diffraction and direct imaging techniques based on Bragg-Fresnel optics (BFO). The objectives of the development effort are: 1.) to develop high quality Bragg-Fresnel optics by employing the state of the art nanofabrication technologies, with an ultimate goal of producing Bragg-Fresnel lenses (BFL) with 50 nm resolution and efficiencies 40%; 2.) to develop experimental methods for effectively utilizing BFL's in a broad array of x-ray characterization methods, including high resolution x- ray scattering and diffraction, and nanostructure characterization of electronic materials; and 3.) to develop nanometer resolution hard x-ray amplitude and phase contrast microscopy methods in the energy range of 8 keV - 100 keV. The utilization of BFO-based microfocusing diffractive optics with third generation synchrotron sources (the Advanced Photon Source (APS) with high brilliance and coherence, will significantly enhance our ability to probe the mesoscale structures of complex materials and biological systems. %%% Research projects benefiting from this new instrumentation covers broad areas in complex materials and biological systems, including structural characterization and direct microscopic imaging with hard x-rays of biomolecular materials, micron sized protein crystals, complex fluids, and nanostructures. ***