X-ray ptychography: state of the art and future prospects

Abstract

X-ray ptychography is now an established experimental microscopy method, routinely employed in many synchrotron facilities around the world. It provides a three-dimensional quantitative description of complex material structures with nanometer-scale resolution and enables accessing multiple physical contrast mechanisms, which have broadened its impact in diverse scientific domains and driven substantial progress since the introduction of its first conceptual framework. Here we provide an overview of X-ray ptychography, covering the basic concepts, underlying principles, state-of-the-art advances, key applications, and future prospects. This mini-review should be useful for researchers seeking an introduction to the method as well as those keen to deepen their understanding of how to acquire and reconstruct a ptychogram or how to choose the version of ptychography best suited for a particular scientific question.