Disclosed herein is an x-ray interferometer for x-ray phase contrast imaging including an x-ray source, an x-ray source grating, two x-ray phase gratings, an x-ray analyzer grating and an x-ray detector. An alternative interferometer includes a periodically structured x-ray source, two x-ray phase gratings, an x-ray analyzer grating and an x-ray detector. The phase gratings are placed much closer to the x-ray detector than to the x-ray source and the image object is positioned upstream and close to the phase gratings to achieve high sensitivity and large field-of-view simultaneously.

A multilayer mirror (M) reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a first wavelength range in an EUV spectral region includes a substrate (SUB) and a stack of layers (SL). The stack of layers has layers having a low index material and layers having a high index material. The low index material has a lower real part of the refractive index than does the high index material at a given operating wavelength in the first wavelength range. The stack of layers also includes a spectral purity filter on the stack of layers. The spectral purity filter is effective as an anti-reflection layer for ultraviolet (UV) radiation from a second wavelength range in a UV spectral region to increase an EUV-UV-reflectivity ratio of the multilayer mirror. The spectral purity filter (SPF) includes a non-diffractive graded-index anti-reflection layer (GI-AR) effective to reduce reflectivity in the second wavelength range.

The invention discloses an X-ray zoom lens system (Transfocator) and a focus variation method. The system is characterized in that it includes a main frame, many switched arms arranged on one side of the main frame, and a driving component set at the top of the main frame, and a positioning groove set at the bottom of the main frame; For them, each switched arm is composed of successively connected a push rod, a push-push ratchet mechanism, a preload spring and a guide stick, two-dimensional flexible axis, and a CRLs holder from top to bottom; CRLs are stacked and arranged in the mentioned above CRLs holder; The push-push ratchet mechanism contains that an extension spring, a slider with ratchet guide slot, a guide baseplate, a C-shaped tie rod, in which the slider with ratchet guide slot and the guide baseplate form a linear guide motion pair by a linear groove and a guide structure. The upper end of the slider with ratchet guide slot is connected to the upper end of the guide plate by the extension spring; The lower end of the slider with ratchet guide slot is successively connected with the preload spring and guide stick, the two-dimensional flexible axis, and the CRLs holder; The upper end of the C-shaped tie rod is used to slide in the ratchet guide slot of the slider with ratchet guide slot, and its lower end is connected with the bottom end of the guide baseplate by an elastic clamping.

An X-ray emission device for emitting an integrated X-ray beam toward an object is disclosed. The X-ray emission device includes multiple X-ray emission tubes for respectively generating multiple X-rays, and a lens module for guiding the multiple X-rays toward the object to form the integrated X-ray beam.

A phase-contrast x-ray imaging device is particularly suited for the medical field. The device includes an x-ray source for generating an x-radiation field and an x-ray detector having a one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrangement of pixels. A phase-contrast differential amplifier is positioned between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The phase-contrast differential amplifier amplifies spatial phase differences in the x-radiation field during operation.

A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. An array of sensors sense the extreme ultraviolet radiation and charged particles emitted by the droplets. A control system analyses sensor signals from the sensors and adjusts plasma generation parameters responsive to the sensor signals.

Techniques are provided for the production of high-contrast, x-ray and/or gamma-ray radiographic images. The images have minimal contributions from object-dependent background radiation. The invention utilizes the low divergence, quasi-monoenergetic, x-ray or gamma-ray output from a laser-Compton source in combination with x-ray optical technologies to produce a converging x-ray or gamma-ray beam with which to produce a high-contrast, shadowgraph of a specific object. The object to be imaged is placed within the path of the converging beam between the x-ray optical assembly and the focus of the x-ray beam produced by that assembly. The beam is then passed through an optically thick pinhole located at the focus of the beam. Downstream of the pinhole, the inverted shadowgraph of the object is then recorded by an appropriate 2D detector array.

An X-ray microscope includes at least one of an X-ray source, a sample holding part, a concave Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror, a convex Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror, and a light receiving part located at a position in an imaging relation to a position of the sample holding part in this order along an optical axis.

An X-ray analyzer includes an X-ray source, a straight tube type multi-capillary, a flat plate spectroscopic crystal, a parallel/point focus type multi-capillary X-ray lens, and a Fresnel zone plate. A qualitative analysis is performed over an area on the sample, the flat plate spectroscopic crystal and the Fresnel zone plate are removed from the X-ray optical path, and X-rays are collected by the multi-capillary lens and the sample is irradiated. When analyzing the chemical morphology of an element, the multi-capillary lens retracts from the optical path, the source rotates, and the flat plate spectroscopic crystal and the Fresnel zone plate are inserted on the optical path. A narrow sample area is irradiated by the Fresnel zone plate with X-rays having energy extracted from the flat plate spectroscopic crystal. This makes it possible to carry out accurate qualitative analysis on the sample and perform detailed analysis of more minute parts.

Disclosed is a wavefront sensor for measuring a tilt of a wavefront at an array of locations across a beam of radiation, wherein said wavefront sensor comprises a film, for example of Zirconium, having an indent array comprising an indent at each of said array of locations, such that each indent of the indent array is operable to perform focusing of said radiation. Also disclosed is a radiation source and inspection apparatus comprising such a wavefront sensor.