Characterization of a Microfocused Circularly Polarized X-ray Probe

We report on the development of a circularly polarized x-ray microprobe in the intermediate energy range from 5 to 10 keV. In this experiment linearly polarized synchrotron radiation was circularly polarized by means of a Bragg-diffracting diamond phase retarder and subsequently focused down to a spot size of about 4 X 2 microns sup 2 by a Fresnel zone plate. 

The properties of the microprobe were characterized, and the technique was applied to the two-dimensional mapping of magnetic domains in HoFe sub 2 .