Abstract
We describe the use of microchannel plate (MCP) optics to focus soft x-rays produced by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) high brightness plasma source. In this source the x- ray emitting plasma is generated by a high repetition rate, picosecond pulsed excimer laser system. A low cost, low debris, high intensity soft x-ray 'beamline' results from the combination of this bright, point-like, plasma source with a planar square-pore MCP optic. Fluxes of 9 X 10<SUP>9</SUP> photon/mm<SUP>2</SUP>/s at 33.7 angstrom wavelength and 4 X 10<SUP>7</SUP> photon/mm<SUP>2</SUP>/s at 7.8 angstrom wavelength have been recorded at the MCP focus. This paper also describes the exploitation of the RAL source for the characterization of prototype MCP optics. Investigations into both planar MCPs with square pores and spherically 'slumped' MCPs with circular pores are reported. The small (10 micrometers diameter) size of the plasma source coupled with an ability to make absolute flux measurements greatly facilitates the calibration process.
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