In order to push the spatial resolution limits to the nanoscale, synchrotron‐based soft X‐ray microscopy (XRM) experiments require higher radiation doses to be delivered to materials. Nevertheless, the associated radiation damage impacts on the integrity of delicate biological samples. Herein, the extent of soft X‐ray radiation damage in popular thin freeze‐dried brain tissue samples mounted onto Si₃N₄ membranes, as highlighted by Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FTIR), is reported. The freeze‐dried tissue samples were found to be affected by general degradation of the vibrational architecture, though these effects were weaker than those observed in paraffin‐embedded and hydrated systems reported in the literature. In addition, weak, reversible and specific features of the tissue–Si₃N₄ interaction could be identified for the first time upon routine soft X‐ray exposures, further highlighting the complex interplay between the biological sample, its preparation protocol and X‐ray probe.

中文翻译：

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FTIR显微镜研究了薄X射线干燥的大脑样本中的软X射线诱导的辐射损伤。

为了将空间分辨率极限提高到纳米级，基于同步加速器的软X射线显微镜（XRM）实验要求将更高的辐射剂量传递给材料。然而，相关的辐射损伤会影响精密生物样品的完整性。在此，固定在Si ₃ N ₄上的流行的薄冻干脑组织样本中的软X射线辐射损伤程度如通过傅立叶变换红外显微镜（FTIR）所强调的，膜被报道。发现冷冻干燥的组织样本受振动结构总体退化的影响，尽管这些影响比文献报道的石蜡包埋和水合系统中所观察到的弱。此外，在常规的软X射线照射下，首次可以识别出组织– Si ₃ N ₄相互作用的弱，可逆和特定特征，这进一步突出了生物样品，其制备方案和X射线之间的复杂相互作用。探测。