X-ray microscopy fills a gap between optical and electron microscopy. Using soft x-rays, a resolution higher than with visible light can be obtained. In comparison to electron microscopy, thick, wet, unstained specimens can be examined. This is especially advantageous for biological applications. The intense synchrotron radiation of electron storage rings and the de velopment of optical elements for soft x-rays render x-ray microscopy feasi ble for basic research. Wider applications will be possible in the future with the development of laboratory x-ray sources and microscopes. In 1979 a conference on x-ray microscopy was organized by the New York Academy of Sciences and in 1981 a symposium on high resolution soft x-ray optics was held at Brookhaven. The present volume contains the contributions to the sympos i um "X-Ray Microscopy", organ i zed by the Akademie der Wi ssen schaften in Gottingen in September 1983. In their capacity as conference chairmen, the editors would like to thank the Akademie der Wissenschaften, especially Prof. H.G. Wagner, Secretary of the Academy, and Mr. J. Pfahlert for organizing the symposium. We are in debted to the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk for financial support. The symposium was held at the Max-Planck-Institut fUr Stromungsforschung. We are grateful for their hospitality and assistance during the symposium. Thanks are due to all authors and to the Springer Verlag for their combined efforts. We thank Dipl.-Phys. P. Guttmann, Dr. B. Niemann and Mrs. A. Marienhagen for their assistance during the final preparation of the manuscripts.

Inhalt
I X-Ray Sources.- 1. The BESSY Soft X-Ray Source and Future Developments.- 2. Recent and Future Developments at L.U.R.E. (Orsay).- 3. X-Ray Emission from a 1kJ Plasma Focus.- 4. Laser Produced Plasma VUV and Soft X-Ray Light Sources.- 5. Spectral Radiant Power Measurements of VUV and Soft X-Ray Sources.- II X-Ray Optics.- 6. Optimum Zone Plate Theory and Design.- 7. Planar Techniques for Fabricating X-Ray Diffraction Gratings and Zone Plates.- 8. Zone Plates for X-Ray Microscopy.- 9. Construction of a Micro Zone Plate and Evaluation of Imaging Properties.- 10. Construction of Condenser Zone Plates for a Scanning X-Ray Microscope.- 11. Recent Advances in X-Ray Optics.- 12. Fabrication of Small Linewidth Diffractive Optics for Use with Soft X-Rays.- 13. Submicron Lithography by Demagnifying Electron-Beam Projection.- 14. Grazing Incidence Optics for X-Ray Microscopy.- 15. Use of Multilayers for X-UV Optics: Their Fabrication and Tests in France.- 16. Multilayers for X-Ray Optical Applications.- 17. Performance Tests on Layered Synthetic Microstructures (LSM's) for X-Ray Optical Elements.- III X-Ray Detectors.- 18. Charge and Scintillation Gaseous Detectors for Low Energy X-Rays.- 19. The Detection of Soft X-Rays with Charge-Coupled Detectors.- IV X-Ray Microscopes.- 20. The Göttingen X-Ray Microscope and X-Ray Microscopy Experiments at the BESSY Storage Ring.- 21. Recent Results from the Stony Brook Scanning Microscope.- 22. The Göttingen Scanning X-Ray Microscope.- 23. A Scanning Soft X-Ray Microscope Using Normal Incidence Mirrors.- 24. X-Ray Microscopy at the Daresbury Laboratory.- 25. X-Ray Microscopy at Imperial College.- 26. Photoelectron X-Ray Microscopy: Recent Developments.- V Applications of X-Ray Microscopy.- 27. Prospects and Problems in X-Ray Microscopy.-28. Biological Applications of X-Ray Contact Microscopy.- 29. Recent Developments in X-Ray Contact Microscopy.- 30. Soft X-Ray Contact Microscopy and Microchemical Analysis of Biological Specimens.- 31. X-Ray Microscopy as a Possible Tool for the Investigation of Plant Cells.- 32. Possible Applications of X-Ray Microscopy in Pathology.- 33. Time Resolved X-Ray Spectroscopy in Biology.- 34. Quantitative Microanalysis with High Resolution Using Soft X-Rays Possible Applications.- 35. On the Possibility of Imaging Microstructures by Soft X-Ray Diffraction Pattern Analysis.- VI X-Ray Holography.- 36. Possibilities for X-Ray Holography Using Synchrotron Radiation.- 37. The Study of the Helical Undulator Parameters Installed in the Storage Ring VEPP-2M as a Source of X-Ray Microscopy and Holography.- Index of Contributors.