Journal Article

PUBDB-2026-02225

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Near-perfect efficiency in X-ray phase microtomography

John, D. (Corresponding author)Extern*Hereon* ; Breitenhuber, G.Extern* ; Wirtensohn, S.Extern*Hereon*DESY* ; Hinterdobler, F.Extern* ; Gaetani, L.Extern* ; Savatovic, S.Extern* ; Lucht, J.Extern* ; Osterhoff, M.Extern*XFEL.EU* ; Eckermann, M.Extern* ; Salditt, T.Extern* ; Herzen, J.Extern*

2026
Optica Washington, DC

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1364/OPTICA.584432  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2026-02225

Abstract: X-ray microtomography at synchrotron sources is fundamentally limited by the high radiation dose applied to the samples, which restricts investigations to non-native tissue states and thereby compromises the biological relevance of the resulting data. The limitation stems from inefficient indirect detection schemes that require prolonged exposures. Efforts to extract additional contrast through multi-modal techniques, like modulation-based imaging, worsen the problem by requiring multiple tomographic scans. In addition, the techniques suffer from low modulator pattern visibility, which reduces measurement efficiency and sensitivity. We address both the detection efficiency and modulation visibility challenges using a setup that combines an X-ray waveguide, a structured phase modulator, and a photon-counting detector. Our approach simultaneously achieves near-theoretical limits in both visibility (95%) and quantum efficiency (98%), thereby enabling dose-efficient multi-modal microtomography at single-micrometer resolution. This advance represents an important step toward routine multi-modal microtomography of native-state biological specimens with the potential to advance biomedical research and disease diagnosis.

Note: the BMFTR joint project 05K25MG2, HoTop4: Optiken für die Ganzfeld-Bildgebung bei PETRA III und IV.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. FS DOOR-User (FS DOOR-User)

Research Program(s):

1. 6G3 - PETRA III (DESY) (POF4-6G3) (POF4-6G3)
2. FS-Proposal: I-20241169 (I-20241169) (I-20241169)

Experiment(s):

1. PETRA Beamline P10 (PETRA III)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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