Nanoscale chemical mapping of bacterial structures and compositions with table-top EUV ptychography

Bacterial infections are a significant health threat, necessitating precise diagnostics and detailed studies of pathogen structures and drug interactions [1]. Microscopy-based techniques are essential for visualizing single-bacterium details, enabling the identification of unique structural and compositional features. Recent advances in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) ptychography [2], driven by table-top high-order harmonic generation sources, bridge the gap between cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and fluorescence microscopy. It offers an extended field of view, nm-scale resolution, µm-scale depth information, and exceptional chemical contrast, leveraging absorption edges of biologically relevant elements in this spectral regime [3].