Annual Review 2024-2025

A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 2 4 / 2 5 I M A G I N G A N D M I C R O S C O P Y G R O U P 16 However, while using a combination of high spatial resolution soft X-ray imaging and electron microscopy allows the analysis of thin samples (≤300 nm) and surfaces, investigation of thicker samples has been limited to hard X-ray dichroic imaging, limiting studies to thin films for most materials, including transition metal magnets. A team of researchers, led by Claire Donnelly of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, have used I08-1 to develop a soft X-ray coherent imaging technique for thicker magnets, closing this “thickness gap”. X-ray phase dichroism exists for a much wider range of X-ray energies than the absorption dichroism, traditionally used to probe magnetic systems, and at energies where the sample is less absorbing. Phase dichroism therefore extends soft X-ray magnetic imaging to samples beyond the capabilities of conventional techniques. The research team tested this technique with magnetic samples up to 1.7 μm thick and were able to demonstrate that thick samples of a chiral magnetic material host unconfined states, which opens exciting prospects for studying knot-like magnetic textures. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.14.031028 I14, the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline, provides a focused beam of 50 nm for high resolution imaging of a diverse range of samples using multiple techniques including X-ray fluorescence, diffraction, XANES, differential phase contrast imaging and ptychography. With a strong emphasis on spectral imaging and provision of environments for nanoscale in situ studies under liquid, gas and electrochemical environments, I14 welcomes users from fields across physical and life sciences. The Scanning X-ray Microscopy beamline (I08) is for morphological, elemental and chemical speciation on a broad range of organic-inorganic interactions in a 250 - 4400 eV photon energy range, and sample investigations under ambient conditions. The second branch, I08-1, is designed for soft X-ray ptychography offering exciting possibilities for imaging higher spatial resolutions for spectral and dichroic imaging. I12 is a high energy beamline principally for material science, engineering and processing science. The instrument’s main focus is to allow in situ studies of samples in environments as close as possible to real world environments using imaging, tomography, diffraction and small-angle scattering. I12 is particularly well suited to study large or dense objects and offers a unique sample and environment installation facility for weights up to 2000 kg. ePSIC provides scientists with state-of-the-art experimental equipment and expertise in the field of physical sciences electron microscopy and characterisation. Currently ePSIC offers beam time on two microscopes: (E01) A probe-corrected JEM ARM200F with EELS and EDX capabilities in collaboration with Johnson Matthey, and (E02) a probe and image corrected JEM ARM300F in collaboration with University of Oxford. Bridging the thickness gap: advanced soft X-ray imaging unlocks magnetic textures Magnetic materials underpin our high-tech lifestyles and will play key roles in the production of clean energy and next generation computing technologies. The behaviour of magnetic materials is governed by their underlying magnetisation configuration, including magnetic domains (local areas of uniform magnetisation) and defects such as domain walls. ჶ XMCD and �XMCD imaging of magnetic films of increasing thickness. The XMCD projections with highest SNR of the 100-nm- thick CoPt are measured at 780 and 779.4 eV for �XMCD and ჶ XMCD, respectively. The XMCD projections with highest SNR for the 400 nm, 1 μm, and 1.7 μm FeGd films are measured at 709, 708.5, and 708 eV, respectively, for both �XMCD and ჶ XMCD. Phase Amplitude