Development of soft X-ray ptychography and fluorescence microscopy system using total-reflection wolter mirror and application to measurement of drug-treated mammalian cells

We developed a soft X-ray microscopic imaging system, CARROT, that combines ptychography and fluorescence X-ray microscopy using a total-reflection Wolter mirror illumination system. The system offers advantages such as achromaticity and long working distances, enabling seamless application to a wide wavelength range. We demonstrated high-resolution imaging of cellular structures and sub-micrometer-scale changes induced by drug administration in mammalian cells. We further showcased the capability to seamlessly switch from ptychography measurements to X-ray fluorescence measurements at different wavelengths to map elemental distributions within cells. Our findings suggest that this system can be used for investigating the correlation between intracellular structures and elemental distribution, as well as for multimodal measurements of visible light fluorescence, Raman scattering, and soft X-rays to provide valuable insights into understanding intracellular dynamics.