Department X-Ray Microscopy
X-ray Microscopy Group
The X-Ray Microscopy group at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin specializes in the development and application of advanced x-ray microscopy, x-ray tomography and x-ray optics for the 10-nm scale characterization of the nanostructure, chemical nature, and composition of materials with high energy resolution. This world-class facility is comprised of a unique combination of state-of-the-art x-ray microscopy instruments, in-house x-ray diffractive optical development and staff members with expertise in microscopy, physics, biophysics and chemistry to address national needs and technical challenges that impact materials, energy and life sciences.
The full-field transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) is operated at the U41 undulator (U41-TXM) PGM beamline in the soft and tender X-ray range using partially-coherent object illumination. This setup allows for high resolution images of cryogenic thick biological specimens with 3-D resolution around 30 nm (half-pitch). Additionally, due to the high energy resolution spatially-resolved NEXAFS studies (NEXAFS-TXM) for material and energy sciences are possible. An incorporated fluorescence light microscope records fluorescence, bright field and DIC images of cryogenic samples (cells).
Available techniques at our beamline are:
- cryo-soft X-ray microscopy / tomography (cryo-SXT) of biological or material samples
- Near Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS)
Selected Applications:
- X-ray nano-tomography of cells and porous materials
- NEXAFS-TXM (spectro-microscopy) of nanoscale materials
- In-situ investigation of catalytic materials
- Electromigration and stress migration in semiconductors
- Dichroism in materials
Contact:
We are eager to collaborate on projects from materials, catalysis and life sciences. Please contact us if you are interested.
For projects in material sciences, catalysis and simulation, please contact:
Christoph Pratsch, Stephan Werner
For projects in life sciences, please contact: