Photoelectron and x-ray holography by contrast: enhancing image quality and dimensionality

Three forms of electron or x-ray holography `by contrast' are discussed: they all exploit small changes in diffraction conditions to improve image quality and/or extract additional information. Spin-polarized photoelectron holography subtracts spin-down from spin-up holograms so as to image the relative orientations of atomic magnetic moments around an emitter atom. Differential photoelectron holography subtracts holograms taken at slightly different energies so as to overcome the forward-scattering problem that normally degrades the three-dimensional imaging of atoms, particularly for emitter atoms that are part of a bulk substrate environment. Resonant x-ray fluorescence holography also subtracts holograms at slightly different energies, these being chosen above and below an absorption edge of a constituent atom, thus allowing the selective imaging of that type of atom, or what has been referred to as imaging `in true colour'.