On creating multilayer X-ray focusing mirrors

We review the recent studies and results obtained in the last five years at the Institute for Physics of Microstructures (IPM) in the field of multilayer mirror construction for hard X-ray wavelength range ( 7n = 0.05—0.25 nm), E = 25—5 keV)). Mirrors with cylindrical and spheroidal shapes as well as Kirkpatrick-Baez cross systems are considered.     

Fabrication of nested elliptical KB mirrors using profile coating for synchrotron radiation X-ray focusing

This paper describes fabrication methods used to demonstrate the advantages of nested or Montel optics for micro/nanofocusing of synchrotron X-ray beams. A standard Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) mirror system uses two separated elliptical mirrors at glancing angles to the X-ray beam and sequentially arranged at 90° to each other to focus X-rays successively in the vertical and horizontal directions. A nested KB mirror system has the two mirrors positioned perpendicular and side-by-side to each other. Compared to a standard KB mirror system, Montel optics can focus a larger divergence and the mirrors can have a shorter focal length. As a result, nested mirrors can be fabricated with improved demagnification factor and ultimately smaller focal spot, than with a standard KB arrangement. The nested system is also more compact with an increased working distance, and is more stable, with reduced complexity of mirror stages. However, although Montel optics is commercially available for laboratory X-ray sources, due to technical difficulties they have not been used to microfocus synchrotron radiation X-rays, where ultra-precise mirror surfaces are essential. The main challenge in adapting nested optics for synchrotron microfocusing is to fabricate mirrors with a precise elliptical surface profile at the very edge where the two mirrors meet and where X-rays scatter. For example, in our application to achieve a sub-micron focus with high efficiency, a surface figure root-mean-square (rms) error on the order of 1 nm is required in the useable area along the X-ray footprint with a ∼0.1 mm-diameter cross section. In this paper we describe promising ways to fabricate precise nested KB mirrors using our profile coating technique and inexpensive flat Si substrates.     

Long-wave X-ray radiation mirrors

Problems of obtaining mirrors for long-wave length (200-20 Å) X-radiation are discussed. Results of the investigation of roentgenooptical characteristics of multilayer periodical C-Re, C-W and C-Ta structures with periods 60–80 Å have been analyzed. The layer thickness of the heavy elements varied from 3 to 25 Å. The following characteristics have been recorded in the wavelength range λ = 50–80 Å; reflection coefficient up to 20%, resolution λ/Δλ = 7–14, width of the angular dependence R(θ)Δθ ≈ 2°. The number of effectively reflecting pairs of layers, N_max = 17, has been determined from the position of secondary diffraction maxima.     

Light collimation and focusing by a thin flat metallic slab

We present experimental and theoretical work showing that a flat metallic slab can collimate and focus light impinging on the slab from a point source. The effect is optimized when the radiation is around the bulk, not at the surface, plasma frequency. Also, the smaller the imaginary part of the permittivity is, the better the collimation. Experiments for Ag in the visible as well as calculations are presented. We also discuss the interesting case of Al, whose imaginary part of permittivity is very small at the plasma frequency in UV radiation. Generalization to other materials and radiations are also discussed.     

On wide-band mirrors for soft X-ray range

The properties of smooth curved surfaces which can deflect the soft X-ray beams to large angles and reflect them effectively are considered. The wave sliding along the curved cylindrical surface has been analysed and the structure of the electromagnetic field has been found both in the medium and in vacuum. Large reflectivity has been predicted in wavelength regions 50 Å < λ < 150 Å and λ < 20 Å for several elements with known optical constants. In contrast to the multilayer structures which are widely used now, the curved mirrors provide a large reflectivity in a broad X-ray wavelength region.     

Single-nanometer focusing of hard x-rays by Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors

We have constructed an extremely precise optical system for hard-x-ray nanofocusing in a synchrotron radiation beamline. Precision multilayer mirrors were fabricated, tested, and employed as Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors with a novel phase error compensator. In the phase compensator, an at-wavelength wavefront error sensing method based on x-ray interferometry and an in situ phase compensator mirror, which adaptively deforms with nanometer precision, were developed to satisfy the Rayleigh criterion to achieve diffraction-limited focusing in a single-nanometer range. The performance of the optics was tested at BL29XUL of SPring-8 and was confirmed to realize a spot size of approximately 7 nm.     

Design and fabrication of low-cost X-ray mirrors

Traditional X-ray mirrors made from Zerodur and silicon carbide are quite expensive because of the fabrication cost involved in achieving a very high surface finish of the order of 15 Å or better. The cost of X-ray mirrors can be greatly reduced by using replication methods for producing the grazing-incidence type mirrors. This paper presents the optical and optomechanical design for a Wolter type I mirror and its mount, and the fabrication method used to produce a low-cost replicated nickel mirror. The finite element analysis results for this mirror are also presented. The design and fabrication steps for the aluminium master mandrel used for replication are also discussed. A surface finish of better than 15 Å was achieved for a such an electroformed mirror with a wall thickness of only 1 mm.     

多层膜软X光反射镜的研制

本文介绍了镍-碳多层膜软X光反射镜的设计与制造方法,特别是膜厚监控法.用俄歇谱仪分析了一个样品的剖面情况;对一些样品在1.54(?)的衍射特性和在软X光区的反射率进行了测量并与理论计算结果作了比较.     

Focusing crystal mirrors for X-ray diagnostics of laser-produced plasma

The paper describes an investigation of the characteristics of spherical focusing Bragg-reflection mirrors. The integral reflectivity of bent crystals at Bragg angles 80–90°, the width of the spectrum of the reflected x-rays, and the spatial resolution of the images formed by the focusing crystals are considered. Results are presented of the calculated integral reflectivity of bent silicon and quartz crystals of different orientation and in different orders of reflection. The feasibility is demonstrated of laser-plasma diagnostics using the images obtained with the aid of a multichannel x-ray microscope based on focusing crystals. Possible schemes of active diagnostics of a dense laser plasma using a monochromatic transilluminating x-ray beam are considered.Laser Plasma Laboratory, Lebedev Physics Institute. Translated from FIAN Preprint No. 143, Lebedev Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, 1989.     

Optimization of platinum-carbon multilayer mirrors for hard X-ray optics

The design of hard X-ray optics for astrophysical technology is one of the key technologies for investigating active galaxies and clusters of galaxies. In the present paper, we have optimized multilayer mirrors of platinum-carbon layer pairs for the hard X-ray region at different grazing angles. The Luus-Jaakola optimization procedure has been implemented for the global optimization of multialyer mirrors. With this algorithm it is not necessary to specify initially the number of layers present in a design.     

Quick focusing of imaging optics using micromachined adaptive mirrors

Inexpensive micromachined varifocal mirrors, providing a very wide range of focal distance control are described. The focal distance of a mirror with a clear aperture of 1 cm can be controlled in the range ∞ to +0.25 m (four diopters) in a frequency band up to 75 Hz by applying control voltages in the range of 0 to 200 V. Applications for quick focus control in a CCD camera and for direct correction of the accommodation depth of a human eye are reported.     

基于多级微反射镜的傅里叶变换红外光谱仪中准直误差的分析

通过对基于多级微反射镜的空间调制傅里叶变换红外光谱仪准直误差的分析,模拟了准直误差的存在而导致的干涉图大光程差处对比度反转和光谱图边频噪声的产生。讨论了在不同的误差系数下复原光谱图的信噪比和分辨率,并且分析了干涉图大光程差处对比反转以及光谱图边频分量的产生原因。仿真结果表明,在误差系数α=0.15°.mm-1时,光谱的信噪比会下降到6 dB,同时光谱分辨率会退化到13.4cm-1。本文的结论将应用于微型光谱仪系统的光学设计与装调。     

Comparison of focusing optics for femtosecond X-ray diffraction

We characterize and compare four different types of focusing optics for hard X-rays, suitable for femtosecond X-ray diffraction experiments, usinga tabletop femtosecond laser-based plasma source. We demonstrate a 23 μmfocus with a toroidally bent Ge single crystal. A maximum flux of 7× 10⁸ photons/(s mm²) is generated in a 32 μm focus using a multi-layer mirror. An elliptical glass capillary yields the highest number of photons per Bragg angle [2× 10⁵ photons/(s mrad)]. The largest number of photons[3× 10⁶ photons/s] per second is obtained in the 105 μm focus of a poly-capillary optical lens system. All numbers are given for characteristic Cu K _α photons.This revised version was published online in May 2005. The Article Category was removed.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

X-ray tube with axial focusing

A dc X-ray tube based on an immersion lens has been designed. The tube consists of electrodes with axial symmetry, a directly heated cathode, and a cylindrical anode; it has a front radiation output and small sizes. 50 and 100 W X-ray tubes and a 1.2 kW demountable tube with a dual Al-Mg anode were designed, running tests were performed, are the main electrical and X-ray optical characteristics were analyzed. The technique developed makes it possible to fabricate anode targets from different materials and to use aluminum, beryllium, or steel output windows. The tube proposed has a wide range of application.     

New focusing multilayer structures for X-ray and VUV plasma spectroscopy

We investigate the spectral characteristics of new focusing multilayer structures used as dispersive elements in a high-transmission X-ray spectrometer with cylindrical geometry (Hamos scheme): W/B₄C structures in a wavelength range of λ = 8.0?9.5 Å and Cr/Sc structures in a range of λ = 30?40 Å (the range is not accessible for natural crystals). The results of demonstration experiments on laser-produced plasma spectra recording are considered. It is shown that the luminosity of a Hamos spectrometer with multilayer dispersive elements is an order of magnitude higher than the luminosity of grazing-incidence grating spectrographs with a comparable spectral resolution.     

Structural characterization of ultrathin Cr and Sc films for soft X-ray mirrors

The structure of multilayers of ultrathin scandium (Sc) and chromium (Cr) films has been characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Face centered cubic Sc was found both in magnetron sputtered thin Sc layers on Si(0 0 1) and in Cr/Sc multilayers for soft X-ray mirrors. The single Sc and Cr layers are polycrystalline with randomly oriented grains, while Sc and Cr within the Cr/Sc multilayer show a strong [0 0 1] texture in the deposition direction. From high-resolution images the orientation-relationship at the Cr/Sc interfaces could be deduced as: Sc_[110]//Cr_[100] and Sc_[010]//Cr_[110], which was confirmed by image simulations.     

Possibility for the form correction of X-ray mirrors by reactive ion-beam etching

Key parameters for the reactive ion-beam etching of glass, quartz and silicon are studied. The dependence of the etching rate on chamber pressure and etching time is investigated. The etching zone has the form of a long (??50 mm), narrow (??1 mm) strip with depth homogeneity at a level of 0.2%. Such a zone is a handy tool for correcting the shape of cylindrical surfaces.     

Multiple focusing with adaptive time-reversal mirror

Recently, adaptivity was introduced to time-reversal mirror to steer the nulls, and referred to as an adaptive time-reversal mirror (ATRM) [J. S. Kim, H. C. Song, and W. A. Kuperman, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 1817-1825 (2001)]. In this study, ATRM is extended to simultaneous multiple focusing in an ocean waveguide. The multiple focusing is achieved by imposing a set of constraints in the formulation to find the weight vectors. The algorithm is applied to the long-range underwater acoustic communication to show, via simulation, that the simultaneous pulse compression at multiple receiving locations is achieved.     

X-ray interferometric short-wavelength holography with diffraction focusing

A four-unit off-axis interferometric scheme for recording x-ray short-wavelength holograms of amorphous bodies which are opaque to visible light is proposed. The diffraction spreading of the object wave in a unit is removed by diffraction focusing of the same wave in the next unit. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 9, 681–684 (10 November 1998)