A multi-contrast X-ray nanoscope for multidisciplinary research

We propose a technology development leading to a new paradigm in three-dimensional volumetric imaging. This new concept has an analogy in the way we navigate digital maps, where we use a coarse resolution to move efficiently over large areas, then blow up specific locations to visualise details of interest. We plan to use X-rays, for their ability to propagate through thick and opaque samples and quantitatively measure their three-dimensional internal structure. X-ray microscopy techniques were pioneered at synchrotron facilities, where they have led to significant breakthroughs in many diverse areas of science. Our aim is to develop a table-top instrument, easily deployable in a standard laboratory, which enables quantitative imaging of label-free samples across a vast range of scales. This will bridge the resolution gap between other well-established microscopy techniques, such as electron and visible light microscopy, and become a platform catalysing collaborative projects among scientists from diverse backgrounds.