X-ray reflective multilayer films with greatly reduced surface roughness and film stress, and smoothing layers for reducing surface roughness of X-ray reflective film substrates, are produced by reactive sputter deposition using a sputter gas having nitrogen in combination with at least one inert gas. The nitrogen is incorporated into the film in a non-stoichiometric manner. Preferably, a gas fraction of the nitrogen is between approximately 5% and approximately 25%. The inert gas is preferably argon. In one embodiment, the materials to be reactively sputtered may include tungsten and boron carbide in alternating layers of the multilayer film. Alternatively, nickel and boron carbide or cobalt and carbon may be used in alternating layers of the multilayer film. Boron carbide may serve as the material for the smoothing layer.

X-ray reflective multilayer films with greatly reduced surface roughness and film stress, and smoothing layers for reducing surface roughness of X-ray reflective film substrates, are produced by reactive sputter deposition using a sputter gas having nitrogen in combination with at least one inert gas. The nitrogen is incorporated into the film in a non-stoichiometric manner. Preferably, a gas fraction of the nitrogen is between approximately 5% and approximately 25%. The inert gas is preferably argon. In one embodiment, the materials to be reactively sputtered may include tungsten and boron carbide in alternating layers of the multilayer film. Alternatively, nickel and boron carbide or cobalt and carbon may be used in alternating layers of the multilayer film. Boron carbide may serve as the material for the smoothing layer.

Disclosed are x-ray contrast compositions for oral or retrograde examination of the gastrointestinal tract comprising an x-ray contrast producing agent in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable clay in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; and methods for their use in diagnostic radiology of the gastrointestinal tract.

Provided are an X-ray contrast agent using gold nanoparticles and a process for preparing the X-ray contrast agent. The X-ray contrast agent is prepared by capping gold nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The X-ray contrast agent is nontoxic and remains in a blood vessel for a long time so that the X-ray contrast agent can be usefully used as a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent for imaging blood vessels. Therefore, the X-ray contrast agent is useful for inspecting blood vessel structures and new blood vessels in a tumor, and obtaining perfusion images. In addition, gold provides better visibility than iodine when used in an X-ray contrast agent. Therefore, better x-ray images can be obtained using the X-ray contrast agent containing gold nanoparticles.

Provided are an X-ray contrast agent using gold nanoparticles and a process for preparing the X-ray contrast agent. The X-ray contrast agent is prepared by capping gold nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The X-ray contrast agent is nontoxic and remains in a blood vessel for a long time so that the X-ray contrast agent can be usefully used as a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent for imaging blood vessels. Therefore, the X-ray contrast agent is useful for inspecting blood vessel structures and new blood vessels in a tumor, and obtaining perfusion images. In addition, gold provides better visibility than iodine when used in an X-ray contrast agent. Therefore, better x-ray images can be obtained using the X-ray contrast agent containing gold nanoparticles.

An x-ray collimator for use primarily in x-ray lithography for semiconductor fabrication provides a multi-channel collimator to produce a series of collimated beams from an x-ray source. Each channel in the array gathers photons from a small solid angle of the x-ray source and employs at least two pairs of orthogonal spherical mirrors in grazing incidence to produce a collimated beam. An array of flat mirrors steer the collimated beams into a slightly converging geometry. A beam assembler then combines the beams to create a single, large collimated beam that can be used to expose the die.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an X-ray absorbing fluorescent nanoparticle that is a bimodal contrast agent by which cancer or the like can be specifically contrasted with X-ray and which can act as a highly sensitive fluorescent labeling and, therefore, enables real-time detection without a need for using an expensive PET contrast. Provided are an X-ray absorbing fluorescent composite nanoparticle, said X-ray absorbing fluorescent composite nanoparticle being composed of an X-ray absorbing nanoparticle and fluorescent nanoparticles bonded thereto and having a volume-average particle diameter of 10-1000 nm inclusive, and an X-ray contrast agent comprising the aforesaid X-ray absorbing fluorescent composite nanoparticle.

A writing apparatus includes a unit storing writing data, a unit which acquires pattern information on patterns defined in the data, a unit which generates a table where each pattern information corresponds to a number of times each pattern information is used, for each predetermined region, a unit which generates a Huffman tree, based on the table, a unit which generates another table where each pattern information corresponds to a variable length binary code generated by encoding each pattern information such that the larger the number of times each pattern information is used, the smaller a value of the code, based on the tree, a unit which produces converted data, which is defined by the data, in the region into a predetermined format using the code, based on the other table, and a unit which writes the patterns defined, onto a workpiece, based on the converted data in the region.