Advanced Monolithic 2D Multilayer Laue Lens (MLL) Optics for Hard X-ray Nanofocusing and Nanotomography
June 17, 2026
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Illustration of monolithic 2D MLL Optics used for 3D tomographic imaging of a CoFe2O4-Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-based mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) sample. The reconstructed 3D image provides valuable insight into the heterogeneous nature of the system, revealing clear phase separation and a varied grain-size distribution.
The Science
Researchers developed a new generation of monolithic 2D MLL optics for high-resolution hard X-ray nanoimaging, demonstrating sub-10 nm resolution in 2D and ~30 nm in 3D imaging experiments at 15 keV.
The Impact
The new 2D optics exhibit significantly improved alignment accuracy and stability, representing a crucial step forward in advancing 2D MLL technology toward direct imaging with sub-10 nm spatial resolution.
Summary
Among various X-ray focusing optics, multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) have attracted significant interest because of their ability to achieve nanometer-scale focusing with high efficiency in the hard X-ray regime. Monolithic 2D MLLs address the long-standing alignment challenges associated with conventional MLL systems, making MLLs more accessible to the broader x-ray microscopy community.
In this work, researchers developed a new generation of monolithic 2D MLL optics with high alignment accuracy by assembling two MLLs on microfabricated silicon templates. By leveraging the precision of microfabrication technology, the orthogonal alignment accuracy between the two MLLs was achieved to approximately 0.005°, while their lateral position along the x-ray beam direction was controlled with micrometer-scale precision.
The developed monolithic 2D optics were tested for hard X-ray nanoimaging at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (HXN) Beamline at NSLS-II. Using the ptychography imaging modality, the optics demonstrated sub-10 nm spatial resolution in 2D imaging and sample-limited resolution of ~30 nm in 3D tomography at 15 keV, while exhibiting excellent stability during extended measurements.
The new 2D MLL optics with high alignment accuracy represent an important step forward in the development of monolithic 2D MLL optics for direct X-ray nanoimaging with sub-10 nm spatial resolution.
Download the research summary slide (PDF)
Related Links
Contact
Wei Xu
Brookhaven National Laboratory
weixu@bnl.gov
Evgeny Nazaretski
Brookhaven National Laboratory
enazaretski@bnl.gov
Publications
W. Xu, Z. Gao, W.H. Xu, N. Bouet, J. Zhou, H. Yan, X. Huang, M. Lu, M. Ge, Y. S. Chu, E. Nazaretski; “Advanced monolithic 2D multilayer Laue lens (MLL) optics for hard x-ray nanofocusing and nanotomography”. Appl. Phys. Lett. 128 (15), 151101 (2026) (Cover Image)
Funding
This work was partially carried out at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, which was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-SC0012704 and used resources of Hard X-ray Nanoprobe Beamline (HXN) of the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Brookhaven National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-SC0012704. This work was also performed in part at the Advanced Science Research Center NanoFabrication Facility of the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. We acknowledge the financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, through FWP PS031.
2026-23038 | INT/EXT | Newsroom
