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 intra-cellular structures and elemental distribution, as well as for multimodal measurements of visible light fluores-cence, Raman scattering, and soft X-rays to provide valuable insights into understanding intracellular dynamics.