Three-dimensional coherent diffraction snapshot imaging using extreme-ultraviolet radiation from a free electron laser

Abstract

The possibility of obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a single object with sub-µm resolution is crucial in many fields, from material science to clinical diagnostics. This is typically achieved through tomography, which combines multiple 2D images of the same object captured with different orientations. However, this serial imaging method prevents single-shot acquisition in imaging experiments, a mandatory feature for the development of time-resolved 3D imaging. In the present experiment, we report on an approach for extracting information on the 3D structure of an object by using extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. In this method, two EUV pulses hit an isolated 3D object simultaneously from different directions, generating independent coherent diffraction patterns, resulting in two distinct bidimensional projections after phase retrieval. These views are then used, in combination with a ray tracing algorithm, to retrieve information on the 3D structure. This EUV stereoscopic imaging approach, similar to the natural process of binocular vision, provides sub-µm spatial resolution and single-shot capability. Moreover, ultrafast time resolution and spectroscopy can be readily implemented, and a further extension to x-ray wavelengths can be envisioned as well.