Dose Constraints for High-Resolution Imaging of Biological Specimens with Extreme Ultraviolet and Soft X-ray radiation

TL;DR

This paper theoretically evaluates radiation dose limits for EUV and soft X-ray microscopy, showing EUV can achieve high-resolution imaging of dehydrated biological specimens with lower doses than soft X-ray methods.

Contribution

It identifies a photon energy window where EUV microscopy can achieve sub-10 nm resolution at doses below the Henderson limit without cryogenic conditions.

Findings

EUV microscopy can reach sub-10 nm resolution in dehydrated samples.

EUV doses are lower than soft X-ray doses for similar resolution.

High-energy EUV photons penetrate well, enabling contrast in cellular imaging.

Abstract

We present a theoretical evaluation of radiation dose constraints for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray microscopy. Our work particularly addresses the long-standing concern regarding strong absorption of EUV radiation in biological specimens. Using an established dose-resolution model, we compare hydrated and dehydrated cellular states and quantify the fluence required for nanoscale imaging. Our analysis identifies a protein window spanning photon energies from 70 eV up to the carbon K-edge (284 eV), where EUV microscopy could in principle achieve sub-10 nm half-pitch resolution in dehydrated samples at doses well below the Henderson limit, thereby eliminating the need for cryogenic conditions. In this situation, the radiation dose required for EUV imaging is also substantially lower than what is required for comparable resolution in water window soft X-ray microscopy. Furthermore, EUV photons with sufficiently high energy exhibit penetration depths of um-level in dehydrated biomatter, enabling exceptional amplitude and phase contrast through thin cellular regions and small cells. These findings provide quantitative guidelines for photon energy selection and establish the EUV protein window as a dose-efficient and physically viable modality for high-resolution, label-free, material-specific imaging of dehydrated biological matter.