Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy with a segmented detector

Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM) is a valuable tool for microscopic investigations with sub-50 nm spatial resolution. Element specific contrast and the chemical bonding sensitivity of near-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy of microscopic regions have been used for a variety of applications in biology, environmental science and polymer chemistry.; We describe the STXM4 microscope that is operating at the National Synchrotron Light Source in BNL. The STXM4 microscope incorporates several improvements on the previous instruments, including enhanced imaging capabilities with a novel segmented x-ray detector. Dark field and differential phase contrast imaging are now readily available. We also present a reconstruction method which enables the recovery of the phase and amplitude modulation of a weak specimen in STXM with coherent illumination. We have used this technique successfully to obtain a high-resolution reconstruction of a germanium test pattern.