High-resolved fluorescence imaging of x-ray micro-radiographies on novel lif detectors

A novel X-ray imaging detector based on optical reading of photoluminescent color centers in lithium fluoride, LiF, is presented. Its main characteristics – i.e. high spatial resolution on a large field of view, wide dynamic range, versatility and simplicity of use – make it a high performance imaging detector for applications in X-ray microscopy, photonic devices, Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) lithography, and materials science, as well as in the characterization of intense X-ray sources, including Free Electron Laser (FEL). The peculiarities of the LiF imaging detector overcome some of the limitations of other commonly used ones, and can be exploited for X-ray microscopy in very simple configurations, such as lensless techniques, even for in vivo investigations of biological samples. Advanced optical microscopy techniques have been used to obtain highly–resolved microradiographies of biological specimens, performed in absorption contrast mode. Its peculiarities seem suitable also for use in phase-contrast experiments. The LiF-based detector versatility allows improvements in order to optimize its response and sensitivity.