Systematic investigation of the diffraction efficiency of sub-15 nm resolution soft X-ray zone plates via simulation and measurement

Mao, Q.; Jiao, Y.; Liu, L.; Zhu, J.; Jiang, L.; Zhang, X.; Wang, Z.

doi:10.1107/S160057752600860X

Figure 6
Resolution test results of the sub-15 nm soft X-ray zone plate. The resolution test was performed in STXM mode at 870 eV. (a) Overview SEM image of the Siemens star resolution test target. (b) Local SEM image of the resolution test target; the inset shows the SEM line profile across the marked Pt-coated edge, corresponding to an apparent edge width of approximately 13.1 nm. (c) Overall soft X-ray STXM image of the resolution test target. (d) Local soft X-ray STXM image of the resolution test target; this panel shows one representative input image, and the Pt-defined target edges are clearly distinguished from the adjacent target structures. (e) FRC analysis based on two independently acquired STXM images of the same local region. The dashed horizontal line denotes the 1/7 FRC threshold (0.143). Its intersection with the FRC curve at kτ = 0.077 nm⁻¹ corresponds to an FRC-estimated full-period spatial resolution of 13.0 nm.

JOURNAL OF
SYNCHROTRON
RADIATION

ISSN: 1600-5775

Volume 33| Part 6| November 2026|

https://doi.org/10.1107/S160057752600860X

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