Optical performance and radiation stability of polymer X‐ray refractive nano‐lenses

Full‐field X‐ray imaging and microscopy with polymer compound refractive nano‐lenses is demonstrated. Experiments were carried out at beamline ID13 at the European Synchrotron and yielded a resolution of 100 nm. The lenses were demonstrated to be functioning even after an absorbed dose of ∼107 Gy. This article also discusses issues related to lens aberrations, astigmatism and radiation stability, and thus ways of improving the lens further are considered. Polymer nano‐lenses are versatile and are promissing for nano‐focusing and compact X‐ray microscopy.