Hard X‐ray Zone Plates Using Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Molds

摘要

While hard x‐ray zone plates have made great advances recently towards improved resolution, their focusing efficiency requires further development. This problem becomes more important as higher‐energy x‐rays are used for x‐ray microscopy. The current method for fabricating zone plates involves a dielectric mold, which is then electroplated into, but the materials used for this mold are not mechanically stiff enough for the zone plates desired. Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) is a form of diamond that can be grown as a thin film by chemical vapor deposition and offers many of the physical properties of bulk diamond. Its mechanical stiffness, resistance to radiation damage, dielectric properties, and ability to be etched suggests UNCD as a capable mold material. Reported is progress in the fabrication of hard x‐ray zone plates with gold electroformed into a UNCD mold.