Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A zone plate microscope, comprising:an electron bombardment source for generating x-ray radiation;a single capillary tube, having an elliptical curvature, for receiving and focusing radiation onto a sample;a zone plate lens for collecting the radiation from the sample, wherein a numerical aperture of the capillary tube is matched to the zone plate lens;a center stop for blocking radiation being transmitted along an axis of the capillary tube;a pin hole aperture; anda stop support for attaching the center stop to the capillary tube to support the center stop along the axis of the capillary tube. 2. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the capillary tube is coated with a reflective material. 3. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center stop is attached to a radiation exit end of the capillary tube by the stop support. 4. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a phase plate, wherein the capillary tube has a pupil aperture that illuminates only part of an aperture of the zone plate lens. 5. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capillary tube has an annular shaped pupil such that a pupil of the zone plate lens is smaller or equal to an inner part of the annular shaped pupil. 6. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capillary tube has an imaging conjugate of unity to minimize image aberration. 7. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capillary tube has a magnifying geometry to achieve suitable illumination of the sample. 8. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop support comprises a membrane for supporting the center stop along the axis of the capillary tube. 9. A zone plate microscope as claimed in claim 8, wherein the membrane is bonded to an end of the capillary tube. 10. A zone plate microscope, comprising:an electron bombardment source for generating radiation;a single capillary tube for receiving and focusing the radiation onto a sample;a detector;a zone plate lens for collecting the radiation from the sample and focusing the radiation on the detector;a center stop for blocking radiation being transmitted along an axis of the capillary tube;a pin hole stop for blocking radiation between the capillary tube and the detector;a membrane for supporting the center stop along the axis of the capillary tube;wherein a numerical aperture of the capillary tube is matched to the zone plate lens and the capillary tube has an annular shaped pupil such that a pupil of the zone plate lens is smaller or equal to an inner part of the annular shaped pupil.