Demonstration of 20 nm half-pitch spatial resolution with soft x-ray microscopy

The full field, transmission soft x-ray microscope XM-1 is a valuable imaging instrument for many scientific and technological areas involving nanometer features. Operating from 300 to 1800 eV, it combines high spatial resolution, elemental discrimination, magnetic sensitivity, and a capability of imaging in various experimental conditions, such as with applied magnetic fields and electric currents. In this article, we report experiments that enable accurate spatial resolution measurement, using a new type of test pattern, made from thinned multilayer coatings. The resolution of the microscope was measured to be 20 nm, using this method.