Authors: Hirokatsu Yumoto, Takahisa Koyama, Akihiro Suzuki, Yasumasa Joti, Yoshiya Niida, Kensuke Tono, Yoshitaka Bessho, Makina Yabashi, Yoshinori Nishino, Haruhiko Ohashi
Published: 2022-09-13
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33014-4
Source: Full article
AbstractWith the emergence of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) has acquired a capability for single-particle imaging (SPI) of non-crystalline objects under non-cryogenic conditions. However, the single-shot spatial resolution is limited to ~5 nanometres primarily because of insufficient fluence. Here, we present a CDI technique whereby high resolution is achieved with very-high-fluence X-ray focusing using multilayer mirrors with nanometre precision. The optics can focus 4-keV XFEL down to 60 nm × 110 nm and realize a fluence of >3 × 105 J cm−2 pulse−1 or >4 × 1012 photons μm−2 pulse−1 with a tenfold increase in the total gain compared to conventional optics due to the high demagnification. Further, the imaging of fixed-target metallic nanoparticles in solution attained an unprecedented 2-nm resolution in single-XFEL-pulse exposure. These findings can further expand the capabilities of SPI to explore the relationships between dynamic structures and functions of native biomolecular complexes.