Multi-field x-ray microscope based on array of refractive lenses

Usually, the aperture of x-ray refractive lenses is small and limits their field of view. To overcome this limit, we developed a new process and have fabricated a 2D array of sub-lenses in an integrated way. With a 3 × 3 lens array, the effective field of view, consisting of nine subfields, was enlarged by a factor of three in both directions. The subfields however are not directly connected in the object plane. Two of these lens arrays with different apertures, one used as a condenser multi-lens and one as an objective multi-lens, mounted on one optical axis form a multi-field x-ray microscope. The optical properties of such a setup were tested. The microscope was capable of imaging in the multi-field mode with a spatial resolution down to 186 nm at a photon energy of 14 keV.