Patent Number: 059129395
Section: claims

1. A microfluoroscope comprising: a plasma source of soft x-rays for producing diverging plasma radiation;  a fluorescent screen placed at a distant plane to receive diverging plasma radiation;  means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the distant plane so that an x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen is projected onto the fluorescent screen; and  an optical microscope for viewing fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent screen corresponding to the x-ray absorption shadow of-the specimen.  the fluorescent screen is fine grained.  the fluorescent screen is grainless.  the fluorescent screen is a single-crystal scintillator.  the means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the distant plane places the specimen in contact with the fluorescent screen.  the fluorescent screen is very thin and transparent to visible or ultraviolet light so that a high-numerical-aperture optical microscope objective can closely approach and view the fluorescent screen.  the plasma source is in a vacuum; and  an x-ray transparent vacuum window is used to separate the specimen, fluorescent screen, and microscope from the vacuum of the plasma source.  filters are used to limit the wavelengths of soft x-rays which reach the fluorescent screen to the desired energy range.  the filters are monochromator devices.  the plasma source for producing diverging plasma radiation includes a laser-produced plasma.  the plasma source of soft x-rays is an x-ray laser.  the soft x-rays are in the water window wavelength range.  the specimen is living.  the fluorescent screen emits ultraviolet fluorescence and the microscope has an objective lens which is compatible with UV light.  a plasma source of soft x-rays for producing diverging plasma radiation;  an x-ray relay optic aligned to collect at least part of the diverging plasma radiation and redirect part of the diverging plasma radiation to the focal plane of the conventional microscope;  a fluorescent screen placed at the focal plane of the conventional microscope to receive the redirected part of the diverging plasma radiation;  means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the focal plane of the conventional microscope so that an x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen is projected onto the fluorescent screen for examination by the conventional optical microscope.  the optical microscope has visible light condenser optics for performing standard light microscopy.  the plasma radiation is unobstructed by utilizing removable light condenser optics.  multilayer mirrors are used in conjunction with the x-ray relay optic for redirecting the plasma radiation.  the optical microscope has confocal optics.  the optical microscope has fluorescence contrast capabilities.  the optical microscope has phase contrast capabilities.  the optical microscope has interference contrast capabilities.  a miniaturized plasma source of soft x-rays placed between the microscope condenser optics and the microscope objective-lens;  a fluorescent screen placed at the focal plane of the conventional microscope to receive diverging plasma radiation;  means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the focal plane of the conventional microscope so that an x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen is projected onto the fluorescent screen.  the miniaturized plasma source uses a laser-produced plasma.  a plasma source of soft x-rays for producing diverging plasma radiation;  an x-ray relay optic aligned to collect at least part of the diverging plasma radiation and redirect part of the diverging plasma radiation to a distant plane;  a fluorescent screen placed at the distant plane to receive the redirected part of the diverging plasma radiation;  means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the distant plane so that an x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen is projected onto the fluorescent screen; and  an optical microscope for viewing fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent screen corresponding to the x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen.  the fluorescent screen is fine grained.  the fluorescent screen is grainless.  the flourescent screen is a single crystal scintillator.  the means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the distant plane places the specimen in contact with the fluorescent screen.  the fluorescent screen is very thin and transparent to visible or ultraviolet light so that a high numerical-aperture optical microscope objective can closely approach and view the screen.  the plasma source is in a vacuum; and  an x-ray transparent vacuum window is used to separate the specimen, fluorescent screen, and microscope from the vacuum of the plasma source.  filters are used to limit the wavelengths of soft x-rays which reach the fluorescent screen to the desired energy range.  the filters are monochromator devices.  the plasma source of soft x-rays is an x-ray laser.  the soft x-rays are in the water-window wavelength range.  the specimen is living.  the fluorescent screen emits ultraviolet fluorescence and the microscope has an objective lens which is compatible with UV light.  x-ray optics are used to collimate the plasma radiation.  the relay optics are a hollow capillary tube.  the optical microscope has visible light condenser optics for performing standard light microscopy.  the plasma radiation is unobstructed by utilizing removable light condenser-optics.  multilayer mirrors are used in conjunction with the x-ray relay optic for redirecting the plasma radiation.  a conventional microscope;  a plasma source of soft x-rays for producing diverging plasma radiation;  an x-ray relay optic aligned to collect at least part of the diverging plasma radiation and redirect part of the diverging plasma radiation to the plane of the conventional microscope;  a fluorescent screen placed at the plane of the conventional microscope to receive the redirected part of the diverging plasma radiation;  means for placing a specimen in close proximity to the plane of the conventional microscope so that an x-ray absorption shadow of the specimen is projected onto the fluorescent screen.  the optical microscope has confocal optics.  the optical microscope has fluorescence capabilities.  the optical microscope has phase contrast capabilities.  the optical microscope has interference capabilities. 2. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and herein: 3. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 4. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 5. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 6. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 7. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 8. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 9. A microfluoroscope according to claim 8 and wherein: 10. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 11. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 12. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 13. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 14. A microfluoroscope according to claim 1 and wherein: 15. The combination with a conventional optical microscope for examining a specimen at a plane by microfluoroscopy comprising: 16. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 17. A combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 18. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 19. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 20. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 21. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 22. The combination according to claim 15 and wherein: 23. The combination with a conventional light microscope for examining a specimen by microfluoroscopy at a plane comprising; 24. The invention according to claim 23 and wherein: 25. A microflouroscope comprising: 26. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 27. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 28. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 29. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 30. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 31. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 32. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 33. A microflouroscope according to claim 32 and wherein: 34. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 35. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 36. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 37. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 38. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 39. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 40. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 41. A microflouroscope according to claim 40 and wherein: 42. A microflouroscope according to claim 25 and wherein: 43. The combination for examining a specimen at a plane comprising: 44. A microflouroscope according to claim 43 and wherein: 45. A microflouroscope according to claim 43 and wherein: 46. A microflouroscope according to claim 43 and wherein: 47. A microflouroscope according to claim 43 and wherein: