Element-Specific X-Ray Phase Tomography of 3D Structures at the Nanoscale

3D image of the buckyball structure investigated. In the right picture the distribution of Cobalt is shown in orange. (The solid line corresponds to 1 micrometre or 1 thousandth of a millimetre).

Recent advances in fabrication techniques to create mesoscopic 3D structures have led to significant developments in a variety of fields including biology, photonics, and magnetism. Further progress in these areas benefits from their full quantitative and structural characterization. We present resonant ptychographic tomography, combining quantitative hard x-ray phase imaging and resonant elastic scattering to achieve ab initio element-specific 3D characterization of a cobalt-coated artificial buckyball polymer scaffold at the nanoscale. By performing ptychographic x-ray tomography at and far from the Co K edge, we are able to locate and quantify the Co layer in our sample to a 3D spatial resolution of 25 nm. With a quantitative determination of the electron density we can determine that the Co layer is oxidized, which is confirmed with microfluorescence experiments.

PSI Media Release
Nanometres in 3D
Original Publication
Element-Specific X-Ray Phase Tomography of 3D Structures at the Nanoscale
C. Donnelly, M. Guizar-Sicairos, V. Scagnoli, M. Holler, T. Huthwelker, A. Menzel, I. Vartiainen, E. Müller, E. Kirk, S. Gliga, J. Raabe and L. J. Heyderman
Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 115501 - Published 16 March 2015, DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.115501
Contact
Dr. Manuel Guizar-Sicairos, Swiss Light Source
Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Phone: +41 56 310 3409, e-mail: manuel.guizar-sicairos@psi.ch


Dr. Joerg Raabe, Swiss Light Source
Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Phone: +41 56 310 5193, e-mail: joerg.raabe@psi.ch


Prof. Laura Heyderman
Laboratory for Mesoscopic Systems, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich
Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institute
5232 Villigen PSI; Switzerland
Phone: +41 56 310 2613, e-mail: laura.heyderman@psi.ch