X-ray microscopes are commonly used in combination with full-field imaging techniques in spectromicroscopy applications, where they allow the chemical structures of materials to be analyzed and visualized simultaneously. However, the performance of these microscopes is often affected by problems with chromatic aberrations— optical effects that limit the resolution or degree of fineness to which images of the material structures can be acquired—and previous solutions to the problem have often proved difficult to manufacture and implement. A collaborative team led by researchers from Osaka University has therefore developed an optical system for use in full-field X-ray microscopes that offers a more practical way to overcome the chromatic aberration problem.