(a) Schematic of the optical layout of the soft X-ray microscope beamline XM-2. (a) Bend magnet (in red) and radiation source (green arrow); (b) water-cooled aperture; (c) branchline aperture; (d) mirror box front aperture; (e) mirror horizontal slits; (f′) upper vertical slit; (f′′) lower vertical slit; (g) condenser aperture; (h) condenser zone plate lens; (i) condenser chamber vacuum window and monochrometer pinhole; (j) MZP chamber vacuum window; (k) micro zone plate (objective lens); (l) camera. The mirror is shown in blue and located between (e) and (f′). Figure not drawn to scale. (b) Schematic of the optical layout of XM-2. (a) Source; (b) water-cooled aperture; (c) branchline aperture; (d) mirror box front aperture; (e) mirror horizontal slits; (f′) upper vertical slit; (f′′) lower vertical slits; (g) condenser aperture; (h)–(k) condenser zone plate lens, front pinhole, specimen plane, micro zone plate (objective lens); (l) camera. Figure not drawn to scale. X-ray light path color code: yellow, 0°; green, 1°; red, 3°.