Our Technology
The World’s First
Lab-based, Soft X-ray Microscope
The SXT-100 Soft X-ray Microscope delivers synchrotron quality imaging to your lab.
Our patented compact laser-produced plasma illumination enables nanoscale 3D-images of fully hydrated, whole cells.
Bringing Synchrotron Functionality to your Lab
Up to now, the only sources of soft x-rays bright enough to illuminate a soft x-ray microscope are produced by synchrotrons. These large, football-stadium-sized facilities accelerate electrons in a circular path to very high energies. When these electrons change direction they lose energy in the form of soft x-rays, which are directed via a beamline to the soft x-ray (SXT) microscope.
- Currently, only six synchrotron beamlines offer this for cryo-preserved biological samples in the water window. Long wait times are usually required for access.
- SiriusXT has miniaturised the synchrotron into a chamber, measuring less than one metre in diameter, which facilitates the development of a Lab-scale Soft X-ray Microscope
- SiriusXT’s patented laser-produced plasma source technology produces a stable, bright source of photons and is the only commercially-viable compact illumination source available for building a Table-Top Soft X-ray Microscope.
Applications
The SXT-100: Delivering Synchrotron-Level Precision in a Benchtop System
SiriusXT’s unique patented source technology delivers a high brightness, stable beam of soft x-ray photons to the sample.
With an illumination spot size of ca. 30 µm x 30 µm and photon flux of 1 x 10⁶ ph/s/µm² at the sample, a final illumination energy of 455 eV and monochromaticity (E/dE) of 340, the microscope is capable of acquiring high native contrast tomograms of fully-hydrated biological samples in under 1 hour.
The SXT-100 consists of an integrated widefield fluorescent microscope (FM). Grids are first screened using the FM to identify areas of interest. Low magnification soft x-ray mosaics are then acquired to confirm cell viability on a larger area of the grid before high magnification tomograms are collected on target cells. The FM and hi-res SXT datasets are then registered to correlate the FM signals with structures appearing on the soft x-ray tomogram.
The SXT-100 is unique in supporting both grid-mounted and capillary-mounted samples for FM and SXT imaging.
The SXT-100 also supports clipped grids, half-grids and lift-out pins. In addition, to facilitate efficient correlative imaging workflows, we have developed compatibility with a range of sample cartridges and transfer devices from other microscope manufacturers.
Samples can therefore be manipulated through a series of steps allowing light microscopy, SXT and EM/vEM to be performed on the very same sample. The SXT-100 enables the probing of biological phenomena across a broad range of length scales and complexities.
Powering Breakthroughs in Life Sciences Research
Cells and tissue structures can be imaged in their natural state, without the need for heavy staining or fixing processes. This capability is essential for understanding complex biological systems at the single-cell level, including cellular organisation, membrane dynamics, and interactions between organelles.
By understanding and characterising cell heterogeneity, researchers can gain deeper insights into development, disease progression, and treatment response. SXT can be employed to visualise nanodrug delivery pathways and toxicity, providing insights into the efficacy and safety of drug delivery systems and formulations.
SXT also provides high-resolution images of biological tissues, which helps in studying tissue architecture, disease mechanisms, and tissue-engineering applications
Disease Research
Drug Research
Correlative Workflow
Pioneering the Future of High Resolution X-ray Imaging
The development of a compact soft X ray tomography microscope, which enables fast high resolution imaging of fully hydrated, cryogenically preserved biological cells in a laboratory setting, represents a significant advancement in the field of soft X ray tomography (SXT) and cellular biology. By making SXT accessible to a wide range of researchers at the local lab or core facility level, independent of synchrotron facilities, this microscope opens new avenues for in–depth studies of cell structure across various research fields, as well as for correlative light, electron, and X–ray microscopy.
We are consistently driving microscope innovations, such as improving sample and image throughput by enabling multiple grid loading and automated batch acquisition, as well as developing advanced computational methods for image registration, segmentation, and analysis.
Let’s Connect
Get in Touch with SiriusXT
Interested in a demo or consultation?
Contact our team to learn how the SXT-100 can advance your research.
