Ptychography Reduces Spectral Distortions Intrinsic to Conventional Zone-Plate-Based X-Ray Spectromicroscopy

Abstract Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy is a powerful method for mapping chemical phases in nano-materials. The point spread function (PSF) of conventional zone-plate-based microscope limits the achievable spatial resolution and also results spatially resolved spectra that do not accurately reflect heterogeneity samples when scale detail approaches probe size. ptychography, coherent-scattering-based imaging scheme effectively removes from image data, returns accurate regions smaller than We show through simulation how long tails on PSF an x-ray optic can cause spectral distortion near boundary between two spectrally distinct regions. resulting apparent appear mixed, with species one side seeming to be present other even at distance equal several times resolution. further demonstrate effect experimentally ptychographic return expected model system, whereas does not.