Editing X-ray microscope (section)

{{Short description|Type of microscope that uses X-rays}}
[[File:X-ray microscopy of canola plant.jpg|thumb|An X-ray microscopy image of a living 10-days-old [[canola]] plant<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/srep12119 |pmid=26183486 |pmc=4648396 |title=Factors influencing real time internal structural visualization and dynamic process monitoring in plants using synchrotron-based phase contrast X-ray imaging |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=5 |pages=12119 |year=2015 |last1=Karunakaran |first1=Chithra |last2=Lahlali |first2=Rachid |last3=Zhu |first3=Ning |last4=Webb |first4=Adam M. |last5=Schmidt |first5=Marina |last6=Fransishyn |first6=Kyle |last7=Belev |first7=George |last8=Wysokinski |first8=Tomasz |last9=Olson |first9=Jeremy |last10=Cooper |first10=David M. L. |last11=Hallin |first11=Emil |bibcode=2015NatSR...512119K}}</ref>]]
An '''X-ray microscope''' uses [[electromagnetic radiation]] in the [[X-ray]] band to produce magnified images of objects. Since X-rays penetrate most objects, there is no need to specially prepare them for X-ray microscopy observations.

Unlike visible [[light]], X-rays do not reflect or refract easily and are invisible to the human eye. Therefore, an X-ray microscope exposes film or uses a [[charge-coupled device]] (CCD) detector to detect X-rays that pass through the specimen. It is a contrast imaging technology using the difference in absorption of soft X-rays in the [[water window]] region (wavelengths: 2.34–4.4&nbsp;nm, energies: 280–530&nbsp;eV) by the carbon atom (main element composing the living cell) and the oxygen atom (an element of water).

[[Microfocus X-ray]] also achieves high magnification by projection. A microfocus X-ray tube produces X-rays from an extremely small focal spot (5&nbsp;μm down to 0.1&nbsp;μm). The X-rays are in the more conventional X-ray range (20 to 300&nbsp;keV) and are not re-focused.