Performance Tests on Layered Synthetic Microstructures (LSM’s) for X-Ray Optical Elements

Abstract

The advent of Synchrotron Radiation (SR) sources, which are capable of producing intense photon beams with energies ranging from ultraviolet to hard x ray, has created a need for new optical elements capable at once of focussing, collimating, or passing a restricted energy band of these photons and yet being durable enough to withstand extremely high power loads. Layered Synthetic Microstructures (LSM’s) are currently being intensively evaluated in this context [17.1–4]. The range of applications considered has included normal incidence imaging systems [17.5–7] and monochromators [17.8] in the soft x-ray regime, and wideband focussing monochromators or premonochromators in the hard x-ray regime [17.9,10]. In all of these applications, whether acting either as focussing or condensing elements, the large separations between source and image plane create rigorous demands for optical quality. Usually surface slope accuracies in the sub-arcsec region are required.