Soft x-ray microscopy plays an important role in modern spintronics. However, the achievable resolution of most x-ray magnetic imaging experiments limits access to fundamental and technologically relevant length scales in the sub-10 nm regime. Here, we demonstrate x-ray magnetic microscopy with 5 nm resolution by combining holography-assisted coherent diffractive imaging with heterodyne amplification of the weak magnetic signal. The gain in resolution and contrast makes magnetic pinning sites visible and allows to measure the local width of domain walls. The ability to detect and map such properties with photons opens new horizons for element-specific, time-resolved, and operando research on magnetic materials and beyond.

中文翻译：

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分辨率为 5 nm 的相干 X 射线磁成像

软X射线显微镜在现代自旋电子学中发挥着重要作用。然而，大多数 X 射线磁成像实验可实现的分辨率限制了对亚 10 nm 范围内基本和技术相关长度尺度的获取。在这里，我们通过将全息辅助相干衍射成像与弱磁信号的外差放大相结合，展示了分辨率为 5 nm 的 X 射线磁显微镜。分辨率和对比度的提高使得磁钉扎位点可见，并允许测量畴壁的局部宽度。利用光子检测和绘制此类特性的能力为磁性材料及其他领域的元素特定、时间分辨和操作研究开辟了新的视野。