Licht L; Eschen W; Liu C; Reents J; Sidiropoulos T; Molina DSP; Kaspa J; Althues H; Apell J; Liu D; Lippmann S; Limpert J; Rothhardt J · 2026 · ACS applied materials & interfaces
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Quantitative, nondestructive characterization of materials at the nanoscale is crucial for the development of advanced energy, electronic, and nanostructured systems. In this context, microscopy based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation has recently attracted considerable interest, as it combines high spatial resolution, strong elemental contrast, and micrometer-scale penetration depth in compact, table-top setups. Here, we employ EUV ptychography to quantitatively resolve the spatial distribution of silicon, oxygen, and aluminum with sub-50 nm half-pitch resolution. Compared to the established energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) technique, our approach delivers enhanced image quality and spatial resolution, while conventional methods reach their limits. This is enabled by retrieving element-specific atomic areal densities from quantitative amplitude and phase reconstructions provided by EUV ptychography. With a single-wavelength illumination, we determine the oxygen and silicon content within a 1.4 μm thick lamella of an all-solid-state battery anode. We additionally characterize the composition of a more complex aluminum-silicon alloy, enabled through differential contrast dual-wavelength EUV ptychography. Overall, these results establish EUV ptychography as a powerful technique for quantitative nanoscale material analysis. It is suitable for radiation-sensitive specimens or elements, which are difficult to distinguish in electron microscopy. Its capability to accurately map light elements, often challenging for conventional methods, makes it a promising tool for applications spanning materials science, energy technologies, and microbiology.
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