A Fresnel phase zone plate for hard x ray was fabricated by physical vapor deposition alternating transparent and opaque layers onto a fine gold wire core 47 &mgr;m in diameter. The zone plate, which is comprised of 25 pairs of alternating Ag and C layers, is designed to operate with a focal length of 124 mm for a parallel beam at 8.1 keV. The thickness of the zone plate is less than 10 &mgr;m and is capable of operating as a phase zone plate. Using the brilliant monochromatized x-ray beam from the TRISTAN Main Ring, with an undulator, the minimum focal spot size attained for the first order focal beam was 0.5 &mgr;m&fgr;. The light collecting efficiency was determined to be near 11&percent;. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.