Element-specific high-resolution diffraction microscopy using focused hard X-ray beam

We demonstrated high-resolution element-specific diffraction microscopy using a hard X-ray beam focused by Kirkpatrick–Baez mirrors. Coherent diffraction patterns of an Au/Ag nanoparticle were measured at incident X-ray energies around the Au LIII absorption edge. By calculating the difference between the intensities of reconstructed images obtained at different energies, an image of the Au element could be derived. From the difference image, it was suggested that the replacement reaction progresses from the corners of Ag cubic particle.