Simulation of partially coherent image formation in a compact soft x-ray microscope

• In this paper, we describe a numerical method of simulating two-dimensional images in a compact soft X-ray microscope using partially coherent illumination considerations. The work was motivated by recent test object images obtained by the latest generation inhouse compact soft X-ray microscope, which showed diffraction-like artifacts not observed previously. The numerical model approximates the condenser zone plate as a secondary incoherent source represented by individually coherent but mutually incoherent source points, each giving rise to a separate image. A final image is obtained by adding up all the individual source point contributions. The results are compared with the microscope images and show qualitative agreement, indicating that the observed effects are caused by partially coherent illumination.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Image formation; Partial coherence; X-ray microscopy; Zone plates; Computer simulation; Light sources; Mathematical models; X ray diffraction; X ray microscopes; Incoherent sources; Partial coherence; X ray microscopy; Zone plates; Image processing; article; diffraction; illumination; image analysis; mathematical model; microscopy; qualitative analysis; separation technique; simulation; X ray analysis

Physics

Fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)