NanoXcan at ELI Beamlines: Testing Compact X-Ray Diffraction Imaging

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A NanoXcan team recently carried out an experiment at the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) facility in Prague, exploring new approaches to diffraction imaging using a compact laser-based X-ray source.

The experiment took place at the PXS beamline, where a small section of the laser-plasma source’s focus was sampled to improve spatial coherence. This partial beam was then used to probe a sample through a mask, generating random speckle patterns that guide image reconstruction — reducing the need for scanning, as required in ptychographic schemes.

This technique shows promise for diffraction imaging using low-brilliance sources, which is central to NanoXcan’s goal of developing compact, lab-scale X-ray imaging solutions.

Coherence and Speckles — Matilde Fernandes’ Master Thesis Defense

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Last week, Matilde Fernandes successfully defended her Master’s thesis, titled “Incoherent Diffraction Imaging with Hard X-rays: Single-shot Characterization of 2D Spatial Coherence of a Focused X-ray Beam”, making important contributions to the NanoXcan project.

Her work focused on the generation and characterization of speckle patterns suitable for Incoherent Diffraction Imaging (IDI) — a promising lensless imaging technique compatible with partially coherent X-ray sources. The study was carried out at the Nanoscopium beamline at SOLEIL, where Matilde used custom-designed diffusers to produce fully developed speckle patterns.

She also performed a single-shot spatial coherence analysis, extracting both qualitative and quantitative measurements of the transverse coherence length and global degree of coherence. The results confirmed the expected inverse dependence on source size and validated the diffuser design within this regime.

Congratulations to Matilde for the excellent work!

Marta Fajardo at PhysFront’25: When Light Becomes Stronger Than Matter

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The IST‑PhysFront’25 symposium (1st edition), held on 10 September 2025 at Técnico Innovation Center, is an annual event by the Department of Physics at IST showcasing cutting‑edge research. In the Research Highlight session, Marta Fajardo presented a talk titled “When Light Becomes Stronger Than Matter”, exploring the frontier of intense laser–matter interactions and advanced X‑ray imaging.

As part of her presentation, Marta introduced the NanoXcan project, highlighting its mission to develop compact, high-resolution X-ray imaging tools capable of probing matter at extreme conditions — bridging fundamental plasma physics, ultrafast lasers, and novel diagnostic techniques.

Thanks to the organizers!

High School Students Visit VOXEL Lab

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As part of the 13th “Desafiar os Limites em Ciência e Tecnologia” event, organized by the Department of Physics at Instituto Superior Técnico, high school students visited the NanoXcan lab. This initiative introduces students to Technological Physics Engineering through engaging talks and lab tours.

During their visit, students learned about our research on X-ray imaging, laser-plasma interactions, and many more, guided by Prof. Marta Fajardo (team leader) and Robert Neumann (PhD student). They also got to know more about the NanoXcan project, aiming to develop a compact X-ray microscope to enable advanced imaging of matter at high resolution in the near future.

We hope this visit inspired them towards future careers in science!

NanoXCAN In-Person Meeting – Prague

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This Monday, the NanoXCAN team gathered in Prague for an in-person project meeting hosted by our partner Rigaku Innovative Technologies Europe. We reviewed recent progress, shared technical updates, and planned the next steps for our compact X-ray microscope development.It was a great opportunity to align efforts across institutions and keep pushing the project forward.

Thanks to Rigaku for the warm welcome in the Czech Republic!

NanoXCAN Researchers Join Quantum Day Celebration in Porto

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On April 14th, members of the NanoXCAN group, alongside colleagues from the Group of Lasers and Plasmas (GoLP), took part in the celebration of World Quantum Day in Porto. The event, part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology initiatives, brought together researchers, students, and the public to celebrate the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics.

The event also highlighted the growing interplay between research and industry in the quantum field, with various institutions and companies present to showcase their work. It provided a valuable space for dialogue and exchange across sectors.

Experiments at SOLEIL synchrotron

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In this experiment, performed at the Nanoscopium beamline at SOLEIL synchrotron, we explored a novel approach to X-ray imaging by using a X-ray diffuser to generate a pseudo-thermal light source with tunable coherence. By conducting the experiment at a synchrotron, we were able to harness a bright X-ray beam to study how partially coherent light interacts with structured objects. This allowed us to take the first steps toward demonstrating lensless imaging techniques that could work with partially incoherent light sources, opening new possibilities for high-resolution imaging in more accessible settings.

We sincerely thank the entire SOLEIL team for their invaluable support and for providing such a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere throughout the experiment!