A scanning transmission X-ray microscope at the Pohang Light Source

A scanning transmission X-ray microscope is operational at the 10A beamline at the Pohang Light Source. The 10A beamline provides soft X-rays in the photon energy range 100–2000 eV using an elliptically polarized undulator. The practically usable photon energy range of the scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) setup is from ∼150 to ∼1600 eV. With a zone plate of 25 nm outermost zone width, the diffraction-limited space resolution, ∼30 nm, is achieved in the photon energy range up to ∼850 eV. In transmission mode for thin samples, STXM provides the element, chemical state and magnetic moment specific distributions, based on absorption spectroscopy. A soft X-ray fluorescence measurement setup has been implemented in order to provide the elemental distribution of thicker samples as well as chemical state information with a space resolution of ∼50 nm. A ptychography setup has been implemented in order to improve the space resolution down to 10 nm. Hardware setups and application activities of the STXM are presented.