Direct high-resolution X-ray imaging exploiting pseudorandomness

Owing to its unique penetrating power and high-resolution capability, X-ray imaging has been an irreplaceable tool since its discovery. Despite the significance, the resolution of X-ray imaging has largely been limited by the technical difficulties on X-ray lens making. Various lensless imaging methods have been proposed, but are yet relying on multiple measurements or additional constraints on measurements or samples. Here we present coherent speckle-correlation imaging (CSI) using a designed X-ray diffuser. CSI has no prerequisites for samples or measurements. Instead, from a single shot measurement, the complex sample field is retrieved based on the pseudorandomness of the speckle intensity pattern, ensured through a diffuser. We achieve a spatial resolution of 13.9 nm at 5.46 keV, beating the feature size of the diffuser used (300 nm). The high-resolution imaging capability is theoretically explained based on fundamental and practical limits. We expect the CSI to be a versatile tool for navigating the unexplored world of nanometer.

Automated summary

Coherent speckle-correlation imaging (CSI) utilizes a designed X-ray diffuser to retrieve the complex sample field from a single shot measurement, achieving high-resolution imaging without any assumptions on the samples or measurements. The spatial resolution of CSI reaches 13.9 nm at 5.46 keV, surpassing the feature size of the diffuser used (300 nm). The high-resolution imaging capability of CSI is theoretically explained, and it is expected to be a versatile tool for exploring the nanometer world.