Soft X-ray holographic microscopy of chromosomes with high aspect ratio pinholes

Ruth Barth; Florian Staier; Todd Simpson; Silvia Mittler; Stefan Eisebitt; Michael Grunze; Axel Rosenhahn

doi:10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.03.017

Soft X-ray holographic microscopy of chromosomes with high aspect ratio pinholes

J Biotechnol. 2010 Sep 15;149(4):238-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.03.017. Epub 2010 Apr 1.

Authors

Ruth Barth¹, Florian Staier, Todd Simpson, Silvia Mittler, Stefan Eisebitt, Michael Grunze, Axel Rosenhahn

Affiliation

¹ Angewandte Physikalische Chemie der Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 253, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. [email protected]

PMID: 20362633
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.03.017

Abstract

We used digital in-line soft X-ray holography (DIXH) in the Gabor geometry to image human chromosomes. The divergent wave front was generated by diffraction of synchrotron radiation from a high aspect ratio pinhole. As under our experimental conditions the achievable resolution depends on the pinhole radius, high aspect ratio holes with diameters in the 100 nm range were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) milling. The central maximum of the obtained Airy pattern was used to image chromosomes prepared from metaphase HeLa cells at experimental resolutions of 370±40 nm with soft X-rays at 260 eV photon energy provided by the BESSY II synchrotron radiation facility.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chromosomes, Human / genetics
Holography / methods*
Humans
Microscopy / methods*
Synchrotrons*
X-Rays