Adaptive x-ray optics development at AOA-Xinetics

Abstract

Grazing-incidence optics for X-ray applications require extremely smooth surfaces with precise mirror figures to provide well focused beams and small image spot sizes for astronomical telescopes and laboratory test facilities. The required precision has traditionally been achieved by time-consuming grinding and polishing of thick substrates with frequent pauses for precise metrology to check the mirror figure. More recently, substrates with high quality surface finish and figures have become available at reasonable cost, and techniques have been developed to mechanically adjust the figure of these traditionally polished substrates for ground-based applications. The beam-bending techniques currently in use are mechanically complex, however, with little control over mid-spatial frequency errors. AOA-Xinetics has been developing been developing techniques for shaping grazing incidence optics with surface-normal and surface-parallel electrostrictive Lead magnesium niobate (PMN) actuators bonded to mirror substrates for several years. These actuators are highly reliable; exhibit little to no hysteresis, aging or creep; and can be closely spaced to correct low and mid-spatial frequency errors in a compact package. In this paper we discuss recent development of adaptive x-ray optics at AOA-Xinetics.