“My X-ray focusing mirrors will allow us to see within the body on the nanoscale, with resolution a million times better than that of everyday chest X-rays, ” says Mr. Shimamura in front of countless prototype X-ray mirrors.

He is researching X-ray focusing devices at the Department of Precision Engineering. His novel ultrashort mirrors can focus X-rays into a uniquely small spot — the size of a hundred atoms. This allows us to see inside specimens like chest X-rays, though with more precision, unveiling previously inaccessible information about nanoscale structure, elements, and chemical bonds. This information lets us understand how atomic-scale composition affects visible phenomena.

What kind of future does he envision using this technology?