'Doughnut' beams revolutionize microscopic imaging

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a new technique using doughnut-shaped beams of light to capture detailed images of objects too small to be viewed with traditional microscopes. This method, called ptychography, has previously struggled with highly periodic samples or objects with regularly repeating patterns, such as nanoelectronics. By using beams of extreme ultraviolet light shaped like doughnuts, the researchers were able to collect accurate images of delicate structures as small as 10 to 100 nanometers. This breakthrough could have applications in improving nanoelectronics and inspecting semiconductors for defects without causing damage.