Single-shot full-field X-ray imaging with 10-nm resolution using hard X-ray free-electron laser pulses

For nanoscale X-ray imaging, scanning-based techniques are widely used, but the scanning process often becomes a bottleneck for measurement speed. Scanless, single-shot imaging provides a promising approach to drastically reduce acquisition time. However, achieving both a large field of view and high spatial resolution without scanning remains a significant challenge. Here we show single-shot in-line holography for femtosecond imaging with a field of view exceeding 1 µm and a spatial resolution of 10 nm, using X-ray free-electron laser pulses. This was achieved by combining two key approaches: advanced mirror optics to generate a sub-10-nm focal spot and an algorithm to compensate for fluctuations in illumination caused by the stochastic nature of the self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser process. This method provides a new strategy to fully exploit the brilliance of state-of-the-art X-ray sources for advanced imaging. Using X-ray free-electron laser pulses with mirror optics to generate a sub-10-nm focal spot and an algorithm to compensate for fluctuations in illumination, this study demonstrates single-shot in-line holography for femtosecond imaging with a field of view exceeding 1 μm and a spatial resolution of 10 nm.