The new X-ray/visible microscopy MAXWELL technique for fast three-dimensional nanoimaging with isotropic resolution.

Microscopy by Achromatic X-rays With Emission of Laminar Light (MAXWELL) is a new X-ray/visible technique with attractive characteristics including isotropic resolution in all directions, large-volume imaging and high throughput. An ultrathin, laminar X-ray beam produced by a Wolter type I mirror irradiates the sample stimulating the emission of visible light by scintillating nanoparticles, captured by an optical system. Three-dimensional (3D) images are obtained by scanning the specimen with respect to the laminar beam. We implemented and tested the technique with a high-brightness undulator at SPring-8, demonstrating its validity for a variety of specimens. This work was performed under the Synchrotrons for Neuroscience-an Asia-Pacific Strategic Enterprise (SYNAPSE) collaboration.

High-resolution fast-tomography brain-imaging beamline at the Taiwan Photon Source.

The new Brain Imaging Beamline (BIB) of the Taiwan Photon Source (TPS) has been commissioned and opened to users. The BIB and in particular its endstation are designed to take advantage of bright unmonochromatized synchrotron X-rays and target fast 3D imaging, ∼1 ms exposure time plus very high ∼0.3 µm spatial resolution. A critical step in achieving the planned performances was the solution to the X-ray induced damaging problems of the detection system. High-energy photons were identified as their principal cause and were solved by combining tailored filters/attenuators and a high-energy cut-off mirror. This enabled the tomography acquisition throughput to reach >1 mm3 min-1, a critical performance for large-animal brain mapping and a vital mission of the beamline.