3D imaging of microscopic structures using a proton beam

The use of ion beams a few micrometers in diameter as a tomographic probe could constitute a powerful tool for displaying the 3D structure of samples a few tens or hundreds of micrometers thick in a non-destructive way. At CENBG, ion beam micro-tomography has been developed for biomedical applications at the cell level. The combination of STIM and computed tomography gives access to the 3D distribution of density (in g/cm/sup 3/) within the analysed volume. The aim is to explore intracellular micro-structures, the sole preparation required being freeze-drying permitting analysis under vacuum.