Elemental x-ray imaging using Zernike phase contrast

Shao Qi-Gang¹, Chen Jian¹, Wali Faiz¹, Bao Yuan¹, Wang Zhi-Li², Zhu Pei-Ping^{3, †,}, Tian Yang-Chao^{1, ‡,}, Gao Kun^{1, ¶,}

(a) Profile of the sample, with the bulk protein and Zn and Au nanoparticles inside a cell; (b) absorption TXM image in the water window; (c) absorption TXM image at the energy E₁ (1022.3 eV); (d) x-ray phase contrast image at the energy E₁ (1022.3 eV). All images have PND = 4 × 10¹⁰ photons/μm².