X-ray Techniques  /  X-ray Ptychography

X-ray Ptychography

X-ray ptychography is a super-resolution method based on Coherent Diffractive Imaging. It provides images of samples with quantitative phase and absorption contrast, and combined with computed tomography density maps of the specimen in 3D. New hybrid-pixel detectors capture the increased coherent flux at synchrotron sources and collect data rapidly.

In a ptychography measurement, an object is illuminated with a confined, coherent probe, and the resulting diffraction patterns are measured. In order to retrieve the lost phase information, the object needs to be scanned laterally, with overlapping illumination areas. The resulting quantitative images contain phase and absorption contrast and can have a very high resolution (down to 10 nm), limited by the largest diffraction angle at which photons can be measured reliably on the detector. Phase contrast provides quantitative information about the projected density of the specimen and is very useful in the hard X-ray imaging regime, where absorption is comparatively weak.

Experimental prerequisites include a high coherent flux; high positioning accuracy; and an appropriate X-ray detector that is capable of measuring diffraction patterns with a large dynamic range, as well as weak scattering signals at large diffraction angles.

  • High coherent flux is supported by detector's high count rate.
  • CdTe-based detectors make it efficient to work in applications that use high X-ray energies.
  • Choose from two pixel sizes and a variety of detector sizes.

Ptychography at Synchrotrons

  • Take on-the-fly scans thanks to a high frame rate, a triggering capability, and negligible dead time.
  • Obtain high-contrast images thanks to our detectors’ noise-free performance and high dynamic range.
  • The EIGER2 detector family offers continuous readout, with no dead time between exposures, for even faster scans.

Most Frequently Used Products at Synchrotrons

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Stefan Brandstetter
Head of Product Management

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