Shaped X-ray beams by channeling in polycapillary optics

Abstract

Polycapillary optics (polyCO) is an x-ray optical unit used in different instruments in a wide variety of scientific and industrial applications. The optics works utilising the phenomenon of x-ray total external reflection at radiation transmission through the optics micro-channels. The polyCO devices, according to their geometries, are capable to focus x-ray beam, manipulate divergent or quasi parallel beams. Their use may reduce both size and weight of the device resulting in low power compact x-ray instruments. However, matching polyCO parameters is crucial for developing portable, remote or in-line, industrial sensors and novel instruments for materials science, chemical-environmental and bio-medical applications.In this work we present the analyses of x-ray beam formed behind polyCO devices paying attention to the parameters such as the radiation flux, focal spot-size and divergence. X-ray techniques will be also discussed to outline state of the art of world-wide polyCO-based research.