Dual scanning and full-field hard x-ray microscopy with a laboratory source

We report on the experimental demonstration of a hard x-ray microscopy scheme achieving absorption and phase contrast imaging with a standard laboratory source. The x-ray optical system features two crossed planar waveguides coupled to the primary source. The dual waveguide acts as a secondary micron-sized source, enabling high imaging resolution. Both scanning and full-field imaging modes are demonstrated with the same experimental system, with a resolution of about 2 µm in scanning mode. Examples of absorption, differential phase and retrieved phase depth of thin metal grids and glass micro-spheres are reported as proof of concept of the technique.