Observation of cellular organelles by a contact-type soft X-ray microscope with laser plasma X-ray sources

Kado, Masataka; Kishimoto, Maki; Ishino, Masahiko; Tamotsu, Satoshi*; Yasuda, Keiko*; Shinohara, Kunio*

Soft X-ray microscope have been expected as dream technique which can observe cellular organelles in vivo. However in order to realize it very high intensity soft X-ray sources have been required. Most studies had to use freezing technique to avoid degradation of spatial resolution and/or radiation damage since long exposure time such as several seconds to several minutes were required. We have succeeded to generate high intensity soft X-rays irradiating double layered target consisted of a 100nm thick silicon nitride film and a 20nm thick gold film with high contrast and high power laser pulses. Irradiating the high intensity soft X-rays to biological cells cultivated directory onto PMMA photo resists we have succeeded to observe mitochondria and cytoskeleton inside of live cells in vivo.